The Silent Tears of Crocodiles
by Keres Weiland
Summary: Severus Snape, the cruelest professor at Hogwarts, has a secret. No one ever suspected that Snape had been more than simply an ex death eater. What happens when Harry discovers that there is more to Snape, something to do with a vampire named Erasmus.
1. Chapter 1

The Silent Tears of Crocodiles

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Harry Potter, nor Severus Snape, but Torry is my own.

* * *

Severus Snape sat in an old leather chair, looking out of a large window facing the east lawn of Snape Manor. Somehow he felt old. He was tired of being seen as the bad guy…Tired of the endless jabs by those who never understood him.

It wasn't so much that he was bitter, just that he longed for more in the world than being the Potions Professor at Hogwarts. Why was it that he could not have what other wizards had? Why could he not find someone to spend his days with?

"I don't want to be lonely anymore…." Severus thought to himself.

Slowly, he pulled up the sleeve of his robe- revealing a spider's web of pale scars snaking up his arm. Some scars were worse than others, but each had its own story to tell. The worst of all was the palest- and yet, the longest.

While Severus may have forgotten over the years what some of them stood for, this particular scar bore special meaning. This was the scar that signified the changing moment of his life. The moment when he tried to kill himself after tiring of being the brunt of Black and Potter's cruel jokes during his own days at Hogwarts…He just couldn't take it anymore and had decided to escape in the only way that he knew.

Too bad that he had been found by Nearly Headless Nick who promptly brought help…and so, he was saved, but definitely not in the way that he would have wished, somehow suspended somewhere between sanity and insanity, life and death, and the constant longing for something more.

He rose from his chair…deciding to get to bed. He might as well, the next day all he had to look forward to was the minute trip to Hogwarts to prepare for the coming school year.

* * *

The following morning Severus woke to find his trusty house elf, Torry perched near the foot of his bed.

"Torry, is something wrong?" Severus asked.

"No sir. Torry just wanted to know if there is anything that he can do to make his Master happy? Has Torry done something wrong sir?"

"No Torry. It isn't you, nor is it anything you have done. You have always served me well. Torry, I am simply what the muggles call "Down in the dumps."

"Sir, if you are in these dumps as you call them, let me know where they are so I can take care of them immediately. Sir should have a dumps free house!"

"Torry, it isn't what you think. What I would like would be a nice breakfast, which would make me happy for the morning."

"I'll get to it straight away Master Snape!"

Severus sighed to himself. Sometimes it was easy to forget that house elves were so sensitive. He slowly crept out of bed and dressed in his black traveling robe. He steadied himself so that he would appear in his usual stoic and glaring ruse rather than depressed so that Torry would not fret. No sense getting him excitable especially since he would not be back at Snape Manor until the break at the earliest.

Once he reached the dining room, he could not help himself but crack a smile. Torry had made a show of things, almost as if he could manage to change Severus' mood by simply feeding him all his favorite delicacies for breakfast. Severus had to sigh to himself- house elves don't know that gooseberry pie and pumpkin and chocolate pudding so not make good breakfast foods. But to make the smiling elf happy, he ate with gusto, hoping all the while that he would not have to take a potion for stomach upset.

Once he had finished the breakfast, Severus stepped into the large fireplace in the ballroom, using floo powder, he made his way to Hogwarts. Once he arrived, he could see that Dumbledore was already making sure that the grand hall was prepared for the arrival of the students the following day.

He purposefully made his way to his office. He knew that after being locked up since the end of last term, he had some spells to cast.

Once safely inside, he closed the door and recharged the wards around his door. No sense in not being too careful. Silently, almost as if he glided across the floor, he crept into his bedchamber. There, he knocked three times in three different areas with his wand on a section of the wall underneath a portrait of his father. Suddenly, the portrait swung open to reveal a hidden nook built into the wall.

Inside the nook was a small vial that was shaped in the form of a crescent moon. The vial was filled with a strange red colored potion that seemed to be luminous as well as undulating inside the vial. Carefully, Severus opened the vial and emptied its contents in his mouth…Slowly Severus began to calm. And for a split instant, his eyes flashed with the reddish luminous substance before returning to their usual shade of brown. Severus smiled to himself as the substance flowed through his body. He began to feel much stronger than he did previously, and perhaps, a little less depressed.

He recapped the vial, and placed it back inside the nook, where interestingly, the vial seemed to refill itself with the luminous substance. Severus was thankful that he did not have to obtain the substance from sources he would rather not touch. The vial always refilled itself once placed back inside its protective vault. Severus tapped the wall with his wand in the same three places as before, and the portrait quickly closed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I have decided to continue this story as if the 6th book had not happened, thus existing in an alternate universe. The run of the story depends on events that would not fit into the world that the 6th book has become. So enjoy everyone!

Harry Potter was sitting silently at a table in the library. Something was definitely wrong. While his friends were acting relatively normal, one particular member of the staff was not. While that isn't too much of an unusual occurrence, it was the matter of the particular staff member's actions. He had been in classes for 2 days, and Snape seemed to be less sneery if such a thing were possible.

In fact, Snape generally seemed less…Snapey. It was really quite strange. Where usually, Snape classes consisted of fear and grumblings, while the difficulty of the level of material did not drop, Snape seemed almost indifferent rather than determined that none of them defiled the art of Potions. While Snape had not treated Harry with anymore enthusiasm than usual, Harry found it very peculiar that Snape, had in fact, not yelled at him once, even when he botched that potion the day before. Something was definitely out of sorts with Snape. And Harry really wanted to know what it was before the other ball dropped or when hell was going to be completely frozen.

He was so lost in his thoughts of Snape that he hadn't even heard Hermione step up behind him. Apparently, she had been talking about something or the other, since suddenly, he was thowked on the head by her wand.

"Ow!"

"You know Harry, the least you could do when I'm trying to tell you something important is to pay attention. Now I have to repeat myself AGAIN!"

"Sorry…I'm just a little… well…preoccupied I suppose."

"Apparently, never before have I seen you ignore any comment about Chocoate Frogs! Egads Harry, what has come over you?"

"What about Chocolate Frogs?"

Hermione sighed. "I just heard that they are coming out with a new flavor, and I knew you would be simply mad about it."

"Come on Mione, tell me! The anticipation is killing me!"

"They are calling it 'Bugs and Slugs', its supposed to be coconut slivers with candied raspberries covered in milk chocolate."

"Oh, my. I have to get one of those."

"I knew it. Now, why on earth were you so…ignorant?"

"I am worried sick Mione. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop… right on my bloody head!"

"Wait. I'm confused Harry. What shoe? Where are you bleeding?"

"Nowhere you git! It's an expression."

"Well, you don't have to get all nasty about it. I am just concerned Harry."

"It's Snape. Something is terribly wrong."

"Whatever do you mean Harry, Snape is well… Snape. I don't think anything could ever bother him."

"That's just it Hermione. There is something wrong with him. When have you ever, in all your years at Hogwart's, seen Snape not yell at me for screwing up a potion."

"ummmm…When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. Remember when my potion turned into that strange snarling pipe cleaner monster that was bright pink?"

"How many times do I have to remind you that you need to gather your mugwort at midnight during the full moon?"

"I know, I know. But that still doesn't explain Snape's reaction."

"I don't remember. What was his reaction? I was running to my extra transfiguration class."

"He calmly squashed the creature with the underside of a beaker and walked out of the room. No yelling…and the very most frightening part…he didn't even sneer."

"Wait….No. Sneer. You've got to be joking."

"I swear Mione. He didn't even raise his eyebrow."

"O.K. I forgive you for not listening at first. I must admit. That is… well…scary. Do you suppose that he has a cold?"

"Even if he did have one, he'd be more difficult than usual. Besides, he is the potions master, he would be over the cold in a heartbeat."

"True Harry, very true."

"If I wasn't disliked by Snape, I'd go to his office and see what's wrong with him."

"Well, Harry. I don't think it would be wise to bother him if he is really in fact a bit unlike his usual self. I mean. What if you interrupt him doing something important and then you'll have the wrath of Professor Snape down your back for the rest of the term."

"I know… But somehow, I am starting to feel like the cat about to be killed for its curiosity."

"Well Harry. Don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

Later that evening, Harry donned his invisibility cloak, hoping that Snape would not kill him for being out of his dorm at inappropriate hours. But he was dying with curiosity. Cautiously, he crept out of Gryffindor house, being careful to not disturb the fat lady who was peacefully snoring.

He slowly crept down the hall until he found his way to the staff's quarters. Once he was outside of Snape's office, he removed the cloak, and began to look around the door. A green light seemed to creep around the edges of the door. Harry moved a little closer to see If he could peep through the peep hole. While his vision was obscured, Harry saw Snape ingesting something from an oddly formed vial.

"Maybe he does have a cold."

Suddenly, Harry lost his balance and fell against the door. He tried to get up to run away, but his cloak was tangled around his ankles.

"Potter!"

Harry froze. "Yes, Professor Snape?"

"What are you doing peeping at my private affairs? I don't storm Gryiffindore house to snoop on you!"

"Sir, I'm sorry. I… well… needed to talk to you and I wanted to make sure that you weren't busy."

"Likely story, Potter. Likely story. You will have detention with me, every evening for the next 3 weeks. Bring your potions book. I'm tired of your repeated lazy performance in my class!"

"I'm sorry Professor."

"Sorry does not cut it Potter. I will see you here, tomorrow after dinner. You will work with me until 8 every evening. Keep chattering and I'll make it more!"

"Yes, sir. Sorry I disturbed you sir."

"Be gone with you and take your infernal 'sorry' with you! I'll teach you to invade another's privacy. I should have you thrown out of this institution! Mark my words boy, if you don't straighten up, you are going to see a side of me you really don't want to know. Now Get. Out. Of. My. Sight!"

Harry ran as fast as he could. Why didn't he listen to Hermione? Uggh. Potions were going to be bloody hell tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus smirked to himself. Why is it that all teenaged boys think that they can pull something over on him, something that invariably he had done himself at one time or another? If only that Potter boy would spend as much time on his studies as he does on his adventures. If that were the case, he easily would have been made first boy a long time ago. But enough was enough. It was time that someone taught that boy to at the very least respect himself enough to do well enough to grant him a decent life. At the rate he was going, he'd spend through his money by the time he was thirty if Voldemort let him live that long.

And he sure as hell was not going to let Potter know his secret. That boy would surely be the death of him…not that death was something easily accomplished for him now, though he surely wish it were simple.

Severus ran the tips of his fingers slowly through the flame of the candle on his desk, silently wishing that he could feel that simple pain, but unfortunately, the only pain that he not felt was pain caused by the letting of blood. Sometimes he truly wished that a ghost had not been the one to find him. Only a ghost would have thought of this particular way of continuing his life. He gently snuffed the flame of the candle with his fingertips, slowly rose from his chair, and made his way to his bedchamber.

He hated what he was more than he hated anyone else. Even those who didn't have an inkling of his true nature sensed something off about him, and it would always be that way. He had no escape anymore, the ghosts had seen to that. Things would have been so much easier if they had only brought Dumbledore instead of Erasmus. Not that Erasmus wasn't a kind fellow, but Erasmus only understood certain details on an elemental level, and that would certainly account for his present situation.

He would have to be much more careful from now on, now that Potter seemed to be unusually interested in him. For what purpose, he really had no idea, it wasn't as if he was particularly friendly to the boy, but somehow he had garnered his interest. Perhaps he could manage to dissuade Potter's interest through these detentions. If he managed to make Potter sick of him, then the boy would probably avoid him for the rest of the school year.

Severus calmly crawled into bed with that thought on his lips and slowly slipped into an almost too quiet, dreamless slumber.

* * *

Harry was dreading Potions with every fiber of his being. Snape hadn't even allowed him to explain himself, so he knew that today's lesson was certainly going to be hell for him. 

What made things worse was that he even managed to oversleep this morning, thus did not get a chance to tell Hermione and Ron what had happened the night before- and even worse- he was now going to Potions on an empty stomach. Why did Professor Snape have to have Advanced Potions first thing in the morning? He must be absolutely insane!

Harry rushed into Potions right before Snape entered the classroom.

"Potter, I see that as usual you somehow cannot make it to my class like a normal wizard. 10 points from Gryffindor."

Harry sighed to himself. Well, this was certainly the old Snape. Maybe Snape had a bout of stomach upset for a few days and that would account for the previous change in his manner. But no, he was Potions master after all. Snape would never let an upset stomach go on for longer than it took him to take the proper potion. As far as Harry knew, Snape had never even been to the infirmary of his own accord. Suddenly, Harry became aware that the entire class was staring at him as if he had suddenly grown a frog for a head.

"Potter! If you cannot stand to separate yourself from your own idiocy, then I suggest you leave this classroom. Apparently you are not mature enough to handle an Advanced Potions course!"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I seem to be coming down with something."

"Potter, if you insist on lying to me, the least that you could do is come up with something better than that. Get out of my sight! I'll expect you here at 6 this evening to begin your detention- of which for today's antics I believe that another 4 weeks should just about cover it."

Harry quickly gathered his things and left the room as quickly as was possible. He never imagined that Potions would have been this bad! And now, he had managed to not only get on Snape's bad side the night before, but he had managed to royally send the Professor into orbit. Detention was going to be just peachy.

* * *

When he finally made his way to the Great Hall, Ron and Hermione were waiting for him at the end of Gryffindor table. 

"Harry, what on earth has gotten into you! I can't believe that you were so stupid! To purposefully goof off in Snape's class? I've known you were a few nails short of a barn, but this is really ridiculous!"

"Ron, I know okay? It gets much worse than that."

"Harry, you don't mean to tell me that even after we talked last night you decided to check up on Snape. What...did you do this time?"

"Mione, I was stupid okay. Snape caught me looking through the peephole of his office."

"Of all the... and to think Harry, at one time I thought you had some sense!"

"What am I going to do?"

"Harry, you will have to do what you should have been doing all along. Study for Potions! I know that you and Professor Snape have your differences, but think about this logically. The more quickly that you get in gear, the more quickly that you can finish detention and hope that Snape simply treats you with a sense on indifference rather than sheer unadulterated hatred."

"I know I know... if he doesn't kill me first. Plus, you just don't understand. Snape is weird."

"Um...earth to Harry. Of course Snape is weird. What on earth are you babbling about?"

"Mione and Ron, you gotta promise me. do not go down to Snape's office without someone else with you." For some reason, Ron seemed to take offence to this.

"Uh Harry, like we would anyways."

"Ron, listen. Snape's been drinking a potion from this weird bottle. I have no idea what it is. But before I saw him drink from it, he wasn't acting mean towards me, and then after- he practically killed me."

"Harry, now you are definitely over exaggerating. You have no idea how long Snape has been taking that potion or even what it's for. And newsflash- maybe he got mean because- gasp- you were snooping on him?"

"OK, Hermione. You've made your point. Just promise me you'll try to not be with Snape alone. He could have a Jekyll and Hyde situation at hand." Ron looked puzzled.

"Harry, who is Jekyll and what does a hide have to do with anything." Now Hermione looked about fit to be tied.

"Ron. Jekyll and Hyde are characters in one of the most famous pieces of muggle fiction. You really should do something more with your time besides keeping your head buried in Quidditch journals!"

"Well all, I better get running. I figure that I better get a start on my homework for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. if I don't do it now, it's probably not going to get done. Who knows how long Snape will keep me tonight."

"Harry, just let me know if you need any help. I would be glad to do what I can for you."

"Thanks Mione. Bye Ron."

* * *

Later that evening, Harry slowly made his way to the dreaded hall that he needed to walk to get to Snape's office. Never in his life had he been more scared than this moment...Somehow even Voldemort paled in comparison to Snape when it came to Potions homework. There was just something about Snape. At least Voldemort was a wizard and you could sense that. When it came down to it, Voldemort wasn't so much different from Harry himself. But there was always something about Snape that Harry couldn't put his finger on. 

As soon as he reached Snape's door, Harry had to fight having a panic attack. Just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, Snape suddenly threw open the door so that Harry stumbled into his domain.

"Well, Potter. At least you have enough sense to not be late for my detention."

"Yes sir."

"During these sessions, you will, no doubt, improve on your general potions making. I am tired of your performance in my class Potter. And it's about time that you grew up."

"What would you like me to do first professor?"

"You, Potter, will help me create a batch of Quicksilver potion. I don't doubt that you have no idea what it is, but you will learn soon enough. Carefully set those herbs to brew in that cauldron. Careful to not burn them."

"Yes Professor."

Severus wandered around his office, picking up bits and pieces that he might need for this potion. His last bit was a bit weak. Perhaps a touch of Potter's blood would work wonders.

"Professor?"

"Yes Harry."

Harry almost swooned. Snape had never simply called him Harry before.

"What is Quicksilver potion?"

"It is an elixir of sorts. Usually good for calming the nerves. But the most interesting attribute is that it only takes effect on certain magical creatures."

"Creatures like the sort that Hagrid is fond of?"

"No, nothing quite that interesting I'm afraid. Among its other properties, Quicksilver potion can be used to stay a werewolf's change or to curb a vampires hunger."

"Sir, the herbs are starting to brown."

"Good! Now add a pinch of thyme, a twig of deadly nightshade, and a drop of your blood."

"My blood?"

"Yes Potter. The blood of a wizard is the most important ingredient of Quicksilver potion."

"Sir, wouldn't your blood be better?"

"Not for this particular batch. This batch is going to be rather strong. And well, since you are the only wizard that has stood up to He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named and lived, you're blood certainly has some strong properties."

Harry nodded. He was definitely a bit surprised to say the least. And what werewolf or vampire was Snape in contact with that he needed an extra strong dose of this potion?

As soon as he added a drop of his blood to the potion, the potion turned a light silver with purple swirls. Snape sniffed at the air and hurried to Harry's side.

"Well done Potter! You managed to accomplish this potion without too much trouble. Now you must test it."

"I?"

"Yes Potter. How else would you know if the potion worked. the only test besides color with this potion is that if it touches the tongue of a wizard, it should taste a bit like roasted carrots."

Harry noticed that Snape was watching him intently. He had no choice. He took a small spoon that was located next to the cauldron and dipped it into the swirling mixture. He slowly opened his mouth.

"Potter, really. Quicksilver potion is harmless to wizards in small quantities. At the most you'll have a bit of an upset stomach!"

"Ok Professor...If you're sure."

"Potter, as if I would poison you! Here I'll taste it first."

Snape brought the spoon to his lips. Harry heard the sound of the spoon scraping over Snape's teeth.

"See. Nothing."

As Snape was starting to become rather irritated. Harry took his own spoon and took a small sip. Sure enough the potion did taste a bit like carrots.

"I'm sorry Professor."

"Well Potter, I would have thought by now that you would realize that if I had planned to kill you, I would have already done so. But as it were, I'm sure that if He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named had tried to kill me, I would be a bit wary myself. This detention is to teach you a lesson Potter. Mostly that appearances can be deceiving."

Harry nodded.

"Now get to your house and start on your Potions homework. I will see you tomorrow. Meet me in the Potions classroom."

"Yes Professor."

* * *

Harry was shocked. Snape had actually been nice to him...that was a first. Maybe the meanness to an extent was an act. And what on earth was he going to do with that Quicksilver potion. He must remember to ask Hermione about it. If anyone would know anything about that, it would be Hermione. 

He did do as Snape asked though and ran to his room, pulled out his Potions homework, and actually started on it. Hopefully, tomorrow's detention session would be as uneventful.

* * *

Severus sighed to himself. He must be getting soft in his old age. He was actually starting to appreciate the Potter boy in a small way. At least he wasn't like his father in that he got joy out of the sorrow of others. If he could manage to make something of the boy, at least he would have accomplished what Lily would have wanted.

At this rate, if he continued on this path. Potter would end up spending more time with him than he would originally have liked. But maybe this wasn't such a bad thing. Even if Potter did manage to discover what he was, he had instilled faith in the boy. Maybe having someone like Harry on his side would make his life easier and help dispel prejudices about his kind.

What was he thinking? Severus really was starting to worry about his sanity... not that he had much to begin with. Maybe all these years as a vampire was beginning to takes its toll?

He took the Quicksilver potion out of the cauldron and poured it into a bucket...He ran over to the portrait of his father and tapped around the wall to open the hidden chamber. He removed the vial from the chamber and set it on his desk. He grabbed the stone that the vial set on and pulled it out of the wall revealing a strange looking stone. He gently placed the stone inside the bucket. For reasons he did not know, the bloodstone would only leach its live-giving fluid after it had been soaked in the Quicksilver potion. Severus never questioned Erasmus on that behalf. Erasmus wasn't the sort of being that you would want to keep near you for long. He was certainly something to be afraid of...and at times, Severus feared him more than Voldemort.

Suddenly he sniffed at the air...the scent of rotten wood suddenly filled the room.

"Erasmus."

"Ah yes. Severus. I hear that you are close to telling a boy about our kind."

Severus swore to himself- why did Erasmus have to read his thoughts like that. It was somehow unsettling.

"Master. Please do not wish ill-will on the boy. He is still an innocent."

"But Severus, you know that I only come when I sense death. This boy that you are quickly growing fond of is going to make a choice. not unlike one you made yourself many moons ago. And perhaps another will join our ranks as well."

"Master...please don't ask me to do this."

"Severus. What would you rather live with? Watching a young boy that you are supposed to protect die by his own hand, or save him and teach him to live."

"Master, even I don't know how to live."

"Well, you had better begin. You will have two new recruits to attend to."

"Two?"

"Ah, yes. One has already been marked. The other, in a fit of despair, will grant himself this existence. You must teach them. You must become their only means of support."

"But why?"

"Severus. You know me better than that. What is better than creating vampires? The creation of Wizard vampires of course!"

Erasmus burst into a strange strangled laugh. Severus started to shake a bit. Erasmus' laugh was never good.

"Sire. These boys of which you speak...I can guess at one, but how do I know the other?"

"Severus, my dear boy. It really isn't that difficult. The Potter boy has been a walking time bomb ever since he came to Hogwarts! He will snap any day now. It will be his decision. The other- which you should damn well know- is the boy that Potter hates most in this world."

"You expect me to change both Potter and Malfoy? You've got to be kidding."

"Severus. You'd be doing the Malfoy boy a favor. You will know his moment. It is up to you alone to save them both. You have felt sorry for yourself long enough. I heard you simpering, always whining- 'No one likes me. I'm weird. Everybody hates me!' You would think that after these many years you would lose a bit of this teenage heartbreak nonsense. You will adopt the Potter boy of course- he does not need to go back to the infernal Dursley's. And why you let your own son become a Malfoy is beyond me!"

"Erasmus, you know the answer to that. How can a vampire care for a living warm baby? Wether the baby is partially a vampire already or not!"

"Severus. Draco needs you. His mother is slowly going insane. And with the Elder Malfoy in Azkaban, how can you seriously expect YOUR boy to deal with this on his own. It's about time you became his father! You should be ashamed of yourself! It's about time that Draco learned the truth about his existance. What did you bribe the Malfoy woman with anyway? How did you get her to take your son?"

"She had to give Lucius a son- he didn't care from where. And she did not want to bear a child. She promised to love him as her own...I should have seen past that."

"Severus. It is awful that the boy doesn't even know that you are his father. And the Malfoys certainly haven't done much for his upbringing. Bring him to you Severus. Save him before it's too late!"

* * *

This is for those who have been begging for longer chapters! hope you liked it!


	4. Chapter 4

_"Severus, it is awful that the boy doesn't even know that you are his father. And the Malfoy's certainly haven't done much for his upbringing. Bring him to you Severus. Save him before it's too late!"_

* * *

Severus shook his head as Erasmus disappeared into a cloud of mist. The old creature was slowly going to drive him mad! Methodically, Severus removed the bloodstone from the Quicksilver potion and placed it back inside its hidden compartment. Slowly, he placed the stone back into the wall, placed the vial in its usual position, and tapped around the opening three times. The portrait closed soundlessly. 

Severus could not fathom what he was going to do about Draco. He simply could not bear to hold onto the boy. His mother, Merlin bless her soul, was a profound creature for which a breath might have withered. Still today, Severus blamed himself for marrying the frail creature. Elizabeth was simply the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon, and especially at night, Severus could not help but blame his seed for killing her. He should have known that the child of a vampire would bring about a much more difficult birth, and when Draco finally made his way into the world, his mother simply was able to look at him and smile. Severus still was haunted by her final words..."He's so beautiful."

Severus simply could not bear to handle the child that was the symbol of his beautiful bride's demise, so he had made the deal with the Malfoy woman. Unfortunately, Severus knew that Erasmus wasn't going to let this go, so he might as well prepare himself.

* * *

Slowly, almost without a sound, a single sole managed to escape from Azkaban. He was going to make that Mudblood lover pay, and dearly. Under the guise of night, Lucius Malfoy made his way through the darkness. The Dark Lord told him everything he needed to know. He knew his small red haired quarry, and what he planned to do with it, would hurt the Potter brat more than anything else in the entire wizarding world. He cautiously made his way to the Burrow, looking for his quarry. He froze, hearing a voice. 

"Ginny, do your mum a favor and run to the wood and grab me a bit of wormwood? I forgot to fill my supply this morning." Mrs. Weasley shouted happily.

"Sure thing, Mum."

Ginny ran out of the house like a bolt, not paying attention to what was lurking in the darkness. Suddenly, she was grabbed, her attacker placing a soaked rag over her mouth. She didn't even have time to scream.

"Be still, or I'll slit your throat." Lucius snarled.

Although Ginny was quiet as could be while the fumes from the rag made her befuddled and confused, Lucius had plenty of ideas for the poor girl.

He carried her into the woods, keeping his senses alert. Finally, he found the hollowed out tree stump that the Dark Lord has said would be at his disposal. He quickly bound Ginny's hands together with a few branches of a sapling.

"Why are you doing this?" Ginny quietly pleaded.

"Because your father needs to learn what true evil is." Lucius sneered at Ginny. "Now be still, or you will not like what happens next!"

Ginny quietly cried...inwardly hoping for someone to rescue her. Why had she decided to stay at home this week? She should have gone back to Hogwart's, but her mother seemed to really need her at home, her father having been gone most of this week because of work at the ministry. She had even sent Harry an owl to see what he thought of the idea, and he had told her that her mum would probably appreciate the extra hand. Even Dumbledore told Ginny that she could start a week later to help. But she should have listened to her gut feelings. Now, even Harry couldn't save her.

Suddenly, Lucius swung at Ginny, hitting her squarely in the side of the head. For her, the world went black.

* * *

"Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley yelled out into the yard. "Haven't you found the wormwood yet?" 

Mrs. Weasley ran to the edge of the fence, and waited. It wasn't like Ginny to simply not come back. It had been well over an hour since she left.

"Ginny?"

She screamed as she saw the drag marks in the dirt. Someone had taken her daughter. She ran back into the house and sent an owl with one note for the Ministry and one for Dumbledore. She needed Ginny found fast.

As soon as Mr. Weasley received the owl, he and members of the Ministry formed a search party. The group apparated to the Burrow as quickly as possible. It wasn't long until they found the tree. Stuck to the outside of the tree, was a single note, held in place by a smear of blood.

_Weasley,_

_You would think that your loving wife would have sense enough to not let her daughter out alone. The Dark Lord has spoken. Look inside the tree!_

_L. Malfoy_

Mr. Weasley slowly bent down to look inside the tree. There, his peaceful angel lay still. There was so much blood one couldn't imagine that anymore was left in her body. Malfoy had done his service to the Dark Lord well. Poor beautiful Ginny. Dead.

"No!" Mr. Weasley dropped to the ground, sobbing.

* * *

The next morning, Ron, Hermione, and Harry met at the Gryffindor table in the grand hall. There was still a bit of time before breakfast. Just as Harry was about to tell them what had happened in his potions session, Dumbledore softly called to Ron. 

"Ron? I need to see you in my office. Something has happened. Follow me."

Ron looked at his friends.

"Ron, just go, we'll be here for you. I'm sure you aren't kicked out of school."

Ron followed Dumbledore to his office.

The next thing that Hermione and Harry knew, a loud scream pierced the calming quietness of the old building.

"Harry that was Ron. Something dreadful must have happened."

"Oh no...I hope everything is alright at home."

Suddenly Hedwig burst into the grand hall carrying the Daily Prophet. Harry took it from her and absentmindedly stroked her under her chin. He opened the paper to find something that he never expected.

_TRAGEDY AT WEASLEY HOUSEHOLD! Escaped convict, Lucius Malfoy sought._

Harry looked down at the article. His blood froze. Ginny was dead.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "What is it?"

Harry slowly slipped the paper over for her to see. "Ginny's dead."

* * *

The rest of the day continued in a blur. Dumbledore canceled classes, giving the rest of the week for the school to mourn Ginny's death. Ron had gone home to be with his family. Hermione tried to get Harry to participate in the counseling sessions the professors were holding, but Harry wouldn't take part. He preferred to walk around in a daze. Draco was quarantined in the infirmary, right after the news hit, he was beaten senseless, ironically, not by Harry, but others. Draco even swore that he had no knowledge of the event, and tried to apologize to Ron before he left. Ron swung at Draco, and that was what started the beating. 

They caught Lucius two days after Ginny's death, trying to steal a muggle car. Dumbledore said that he didn't know how to live without his wand- which was still safely tucked away at Azkaban.

Harry couldn't stop thinking about Ginny and how it should have been he that was killed. If only I could have been there for her, Harry thought to himself. After all, he was the reason that Voldemort was on this rampage in the first place. If he had never been born, or if only he would have died in the first place, Ginny would still be alive. Harry flung himself down on his bed, pulled out a sheet of parchment and began drafting a letter.

_Hermione,_

_You are probably the last person in the world that can care much about me. Ron, more than likely, hates me now because I never protected Ginny like I should. Watch over him for me. Take care of Hedwig for me. She likes you, and I know that you will take good care of her. _

_Keep an eye on everyone. Even Draco. I don't think he ever imagined that Ginny would be killed. Something tells me, he needs a friend. I will miss you Mione. Eat a Chocolate Frog for me on your birthday each year, think of it as my present to you. Maybe the world will be safe without me. It seems that my presence makes Voldemort much more powerful, and if I wasn't around, maybe you could learn to live in peace._

_I'll leave you now. Tell Dumbledore I'm sorry._

_Harry_

Harry rolled up the letter and sealed it with a ribbon.

"Hedwig? Please make sure Hermione gets this tomorrow morning."

Hedwig hooted in acceptance. Harry walked over to his desk and grabbed his wand. He ran out of Gryffindor house with alarming haste. The Fat Lady barely had time to move out of the way.

"Watch it young man, or I may not let you back in!" The fat lady called after Harry.

Harry ran down the hall and out the first door he could find. Never was there a moment that he second guessed himself. And once he had reached the edge of the lake, he paused and looked at the shore. He so wished that Ginny were alive, so he could do this to save her, but at least now, maybe he would save the rest of wizard kind. For once, he wished that he didn't have to be the hero, but now, he knew that it was all for naught. Suddenly, he caught a flash of light. There, glistening in the last rays of the day, was a small sliver of glass. Harry grabbed it quickly, dropped his wand, and deftly used the glass to slit his throat. The blood flowed easily and freely. If he had wanted to stop, there was no going back now. He had done it right- and in that, he was glad. He finally felt release when his world began to blur. Suddenly he heard a voice, a voice that he would have never expected.

"Potter?" Harry just barely made out the figure of Severus Snape before losing consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

_Special thanks to Lady-Indis who graciously brought about the muse for this chapter. _

* * *

Harry's world suddenly became grey rather than black, something salty was trickling down his throat. He tried to speak, but all he could do was swallow whatever liquid was currently being fed him. At times, he felt as if the substance was going to gag him. The liquid wasn't exactly thin, and sometimes, it seemed to coat his tounsils. As more of the liquid seemed to fill him stomach, his world became less and less grey, until finally, all he could see was a scarred forearm pressed to his face. Suddenly, he heard a raspy voice that was thoroughly beset with the scratch of tears.

"Harry, damn it, do not die on me! Drink!"

Harry did as he was told, and sure enough, slowly, it seemed that his strength was coming back to him…and for a moment, the strength seemed to rush through his very being. He felt stronger than he ever had in his entire life, and still, he keep sipping at the strength providing fluid.

"Stop."

Harry seemed somewhat possessed. He did not want to stop. Even he could feel that the more he drank, the more powerful he became, and that was something that he did not want to loose.

"Potter, let go of me this instant!"

When he heard those words, he realized who the arm belonged to, and felt as if he were going to be sick. He released the arm immediately. He had been drinking from Snape's bloody arm! Harry looked up at Professor Snape in disgusted awe.

"Potter, you left me with no choice. Did you think that killing yourself was going to be that easy? I sure didn't get the choice when I made the change. Whether you like it or not, your life is needed in the wizarding world, and you know damn well why! So stop sitting there looking at me as if I were a pile of dog's droppings and follow me to my rooms. You will spend the day there. Once you've had a day's sleep, then we will discuss this further."

"But-"

"No, buts Mr. Potter. Just follow me. I am not going to allow the rays of day to spoil all the hard work I just put in saving your life. You will need a special potion to walk in daylight for the rest of your existance. Now, if you will stop your infernal Gryffindor pondering and plotting, I can safely get you indoors!"

With that, Snape turned with a whoosh of his robes and stormed into the front door of Hogwart's. Harry looked around him. The night seemed alive with brilliant flashes of color and it was as if he could see the sprinkling of magic on every surface of the school.

"Potter, come here!"

Harry ran towards his unexpected savior and into the school.

* * *

When he reached Snape's quarters in the dungeons, Harry followed Snape into his inner chamber. Harry had never been here before, and was awed by the simply luster of the place. While the silver and green of Slytherin house were clearly represented, the room seemed almost peaceful rather than threatening, as Harry had always assumed they would be.

"Potter, take the bed for the day's rest. I will look in on you tomorrow morning. I am warding the door to keep you in. You will not be leaving without me knowing about it. I am going to Dumbledore to inform him of this evening's transgressions, you are expected to sleep. DO you understand?"

"Yes, Professor."

* * *

Harry collapsed onto the bed. Surprisingly, he fell asleep almost immediately. When he woke, he could hear the sounds of footsteps all over the floors above him. Somehow, this did not frighten him, but rather, made Harry even more curious about his present situation. Harry looked around Snape's room until he saw a clock. It was a bit before lunch. How he wished he could simply run into the Great Hall and eat lunch at the table, but Snape put those wards on the door. He was stuck there until Snape deemed to show himself.

After what seemed like forever, Harry heard the sound of footsteps approaching the chamber. The door to Snape's quarters opened, and Harry heard the footsteps approach the door to the inner chamber. Slowly, the door opened.

"Ah, Potter. I see that you're awake. Feeling alright?"

Harry thought for a moment. Snape was actually asking him how he was? Was the man sick?

"Um… yes, sir. I'm really just hungry."

"That we can remedy quickly. How's that neck doing?"

"It itches."

"Well, don't scratch. While the crossing was able to heal what you did to yourself, as I'm sure you can see, you will still have a scar. And that scar, well, it will look a bit inflamed for awhile. I will give you a salve to put on that, morning and night."

"You mean everyone is going to know?"

"Eventually, yes. But until the scar fades, we can put a _inivisio_ spell on it, and your neck will look as it has always had."

Harry watched Snape curiously. Snape walked back into the larger section of his chambers. When he came back in, he was carrying a large bowl of something steeming and dark.

"Potter. Before we speak, go ahead and eat this. Do not ask what it is, but just drink."

Harry looked at Snape, then, looked at the bowl he was carrying. But since it was Snape that saved him, Harry figured he didn't really have anything to loose, so he took the bowl from Snape, and began to drink it. The hot liquid, while different tasting than the night before, seemed to quench Harry's hunger. Once he finished the bowl, Snape took it from him and set it on the bedside table.

"Now, Potter. I want you to listen to me and listen carefully. You are no longer a normal wizard. You are now what I am. You are a vampire."

Harry scowled in disbelief. "I'm a what?"

"Harry, what you just enjoyed so thoroughly was cow's blood, fresh from the cow. You are changed, and there is no going back now. It was the only way that I could save your life, and for that, I'm truly sorry. I had wished to never place anyone in this existance, but it seems that I was meant to. Apparently, for several reasons."

"What do you mean?"

"Harry, Dumbledore and I thought it might be best that since you are now of my kind, that I adopt you, thus protecting you from The Dark Lord…"

"Would this mean that I would never have to go back to the Dursley's?" Harry looked at Snape expectantly.

"Yes, Harry. I'm afraid if you went there, you'd end up killing them. And that, we cannot allow…So, because of your changed… nature. You will now be given your own suite of rooms. Down here near my quarters. You cannot be discovered by your classmates, and one of them might manage to accidentally kill you. You won't be alone for long. My son will be coming to live with us shortly."

"Your son? I didn't know you had children."

"Amazing as it may seem, Potter. Yes, I actually loved someone once who actually loved me back. And I actually had a child with this woman. So off to bed with you. Get some more rest. You will need it. I will be back after dinner. By tomorrow, we should have you straightened out to continue classes."

Harry watched Snape exit the rooms with a swish of his robes. Him…becoming a Snape? And Snape having another son? Merlin, how he wished he could speak to Hermione right now. This was going to be a strange year.

* * *

When Severus returned, the young Potter was still fast asleep. Somehow, he could not bear himself at that moment. This poor boy was now not so innocent anymore, and it was all because of him. And soon, he would have to do the same to his own son. Why did Erasmus have to stick his nose in all of his affairs?

Severus tapped on the wall outside of his father's portrait. Took out the vial, and drank from it. He was hoping to teach the both of them about bloodstones, and how to care for them. For a few days, Harry would be alright with the bit of blood he had obtained during the crossing, but afterwards, he would need that charmed blood. As soon as Harry could be left alone for a time, he would have to visit Erasmus' lair in the mountains of Carpathia, and that, was something he had hoped that he would never have to do. But as far as he knew, that was where all the bloodstones were, so he really had to choice. But at least he would only have to go once. His son could feed off his. Severus was hoping that Draco could remotely stand to be near him after he learned the truth. And maybe, at least being bonded to the bloodstone, would keep his son around until he was able to forgive him. At least that was what he was hoping for.

In the other room, Severus heard Harry stir. He looked in on him, and the boy had simply changed position. He was hoping to convince Dumbledore to watch over the boy while he went to Carpathia, but Dumbledore hadn't been available. So Severus went to his desk, pulled out a quill and some parchment.

_Harry,_

_I must leave you for most of the night. If I am not back by morning, call for Dumbledore. I needed to see about something for you and your present condition. There is a bowl of what I brought you earlier in care of the house elves. Simply yell for one of them when you feel hungry and they will bring it to you. I'll be back as soon as I can._

_S. Snape._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Yup- I don't own anything HP- wish I did, otherwise I wouldn't have tons of student loans hanging over my head. Alas, it belongs to JKR. At any rate, anything else that you haven't seen in a JKR book is mine all mine! Ha ha ha ha.

* * *

Severus quietly closed the door to his quarters, allowing the fledgling to sleep peacefully. He knew that at the rate that Harry was adapting to his new condition, Harry was going to be a strong being- like himself. And maybe, just maybe, if Erasmus approved, Harry would receive a gift of the great master's blood. With that, Harry would not need the potion to help with the sun allergy. And if he gave enough of himself, perhaps Erasmus would grant Draco that same gift. He would never ask for himself- he was a mere servant to Erasmus, but the boys would have a better life, that, Severus was going to ensure.

Suddenly, as he walked down the hall, he bumped into something warm, but invisible.

"Ahhhh, it appears some obnoxious Gryffindor has decided to run amok in the halls. Mr. Weasley is not here seeing as he had some family tragedy, so who could it be?"

Hermione let out a surprised squeak; hoping that the invisibility potion would not wear off, and began to walk around Snape. Snape, fast as lightening, grabbed her by the arm forcefully, but not enough to injure her, just as long as she didn't struggle too much.

"Miss Granger…what are you going out of your dorm at this time of night?"

"Uh…Professor Snape…I."

"You, what?"

"I was trying to find Harry, he sent me a letter, and I'm afraid he's done something to himself." Snape raised his eyebrow in a slight state of amusement.

"Mr. Potter is quite alright, I assure you." Hermione looked at Snape in disbelief.

"But, how do you know?"

"He is resting in my chambers as we speak. Before you get ridiculous, Dumbledore has already been informed. Mr. Potter needs his rest, and so do you. Classes are early tomorrow, are they not?"

"But, Professor-"

"Miss Granger, if you are that concerned with Mr. Potter, you can come and check on him, after my class tomorrow. I'm sure that he would want to see you."

"But, Professor, if he's that bad off, why isn't he with Madam Pomfrey?"

"Miss Granger! I am potion master at Hogwarts am I not? I do believe that I create all the potions for Madam Pomfrey. Mr. Potter's condition is rather delicate, and he needs timed potions. For this reason, Mr. Potter is staying with me, so Madam Pomfrey can deal with the rest of the school. Now, get to your dorm before I deduct points for being out past curfew!" Hermione took a deep breath, and although Snape could not see it, she shuddered.

"Yes, Professor."

Severus heard her quick footsteps patter down the hall and shook his head. He made his way up to the Owlery and completed the proper transformation. As a bat, he would be able to get to Carpathia without the Ministry's knowledge, and anything that the Ministry did not know about was something he highly valued.

* * *

The next morning, Harry woke. He no longer felt tired at all, just a gnawing pain in his gut. He wished he could leave this damn room, but as Snape had warded all the exits- he knew his goose was cooked. He could only hope that the strange man would hurry up and bring him his morning meal…Oh, right. No more meals…drink then. He waited for several minutes and when Snape still did not return, Harry sought out Snape's bathroom facilities, and gave himself a nice long bath. After he got out of the bath, he grabbed his clothes and threw them back on. They would have to do, and Harry didn't want to call on Dobby. He simply felt too weird. 

At last, Harry heard the door to the main part of the chambers open. And Snape carefully opened the door to the inner chamber- as if not to wake Harry if he were indeed still sleeping.

"Ah. I see that you are no longer sleeping."

"Yes, Professor."

"Now what I am going to say to you is very important. Much more important than anything else I will ever tell you." Snape held out a small red colored stone. "Whatever you do, do not loose this stone. It is the only thing that will truly preserve your existence." He held it out to Harry, and as soon as Harry touched it- the stone began to leech blood all over Harry's hand.

"You see, it can already sense that you are hungry. Go ahead, drink from it."

Harry did as he was told, if not carefully, somehow still wary of Snape, even though the man had managed to save his life. When he was sated, he pulled the stone away from his lips.

"Professor, now what do I do with it?"

"Potter, you will need to keep it in a safe place. If you like, you can keep it down here for now. I will give you the password to my chambers so that you may feed whenever you feel the need. When I have you and my son completely prepared, I will teach you how to transfer the blood into vials for easier and less messy use."

"You…have a son?"

"Yes, Potter. And before long, he will find out. But for now, you will simply feed in this manner. When the color starts to fade, I will show you how to renew the stone. But it should last the week."

Suddenly, they both jumped at the sound of someone yelling at the portrait. Snape turned to Harry.

"I'll be right back." Snape walked out of the room, and into the main section of the chambers. Harry was surprised that he could hear everything…including the sound of a certain female voice heatedly arguing with the portrait.

"Miss Granger! Cease making this ruckus immediately! Otherwise, I take back last night's invitation."

Hermione immediately froze when she heard Snape's voice. "I'm sorry, Professor."

Snape allowed the portrait to open, stepped aside, and let her into his domain. Hermione was surprised that the Potions master's quarters were not scary at all. Simply tasteful, and refined- somewhat like the way he spoke. She was even surprised to find that the entire room was not bathed in green and silver- but rather, the room, while cold with the stone walls, only had slight nuances of color- mostly in the form of dark colors.

"Miss Granger, you will find Mr. Potter through the next door." She nodded thanks to the professor as she walked gingerly into the room. She took one simple look at Harry. The blood running down his chin, and the spots of blood on the white sheets of the bed, made her swoon. Snape wasn't even able to catch her before she hit the floor. 


	7. Chapter 7

Harry looked at Professor Snape. "What got into her?"

Snape managed to allow the corners of his mouth to shift into an "almost smile". "Harry, I do believe that we will have to work on your…feeding habits. You, my boy, happen to be a very messy eater."

Harry then looked down at himself and saw the blood on the sheets of the bed. He could only imagine what his face looked like.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Mr. Potter, to be perfectly honest, I did not give it a second thought. Seeing a young vampire learn to feed is a rather common site. For now, you must decide, can Miss Granger hold your secret, or do I need to give her a memory potion."

Harry thought for a moment. Out of his friends, Hermione would probably take it best. "Let's wake her. She might as well know the truth."

Snape handed Harry his wand. Harry said a cleansing charm over himself and the bed so that the bloodstains were removed. Severus handed Harry a vial of bat guano. Harry placed it underneath Hermione's nose.

"Uggh, what is that awful smell?" Hermione groaned.

"You can thank Severus for that one 'Mione. It's bat poo."

Hermione looked at Harry. The blood was gone. Was she slowly going insane? "I'm sorry I flipped out on you Harry. I think that I'm starting to have delusions."

"Nope. Sorry, you aren't."

"What are you talking about Harry?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "What Potter is trying to explain, Miss Granger, is that the blood was indeed all over him. But do not be frightened, he will not harm you."

"Harm me? What are you talking about, Professor?" Hermione stared at Snape.

Severus sighed and turned to Harry. "Potter, do your young friend a favor and smile."

Harry did as he was told and smiled at Hermione, revealing long pointed teeth.

"Bloody Hell! Harry, are you trying to give me a heart attack!"

"No, Hermione. Just keep this quiet, okay? Only you and Professor Snape know about it." Harry raised his chin and pointed at his neck so Hermione could see his scar.

"Harry-"

"No, Hermione. Let me finish. I did it. I killed myself. Professor Snape found me just in time. But, the only way he could save me was to make me like him." Hermione looked at Harry puzzled.

"Hermione, Professor Snape and I are vampires."

"What!"

"Hermione, please don't faint again. It's okay. Really. I don't even need my glasses anymore."

"You aren't going to bite me are you?"

Harry looked at Hermione in disbelief. "Of, course not. I'm still the same old Harry; I just have an extra little thing in my diet. Geeze, you act like I decided to join Voldemort or something."

"Harry James Potter! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Hermione grabbed Harry and hugged him.

Harry shrugged and glanced at Professor Snape who was trying to creep into the larger section of the rooms.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Potter." Snape looked at Harry.

"When do I get to meet your son?" Hermione looked at Harry like he had three heads.

"You have already met him, Potter. And yes, Miss Granger, I do have a child. I am not completely heartless, as some of you seem to think."

Hermione stood, straightened her clothes, and smiled at Harry.

"Now that I know you're okay, I'll let you do whatever it is that you've been doing."

"Oh, come on Hermione, you can't tell me that you don't have questions."

Hermione looked at Harry disgustedly.

"I do, Harry. I would simply rather wait until I have a chance to relax and get used to your new condition. Are you coming to class tomorrow?"

Harry nodded. "Professor Snape assures me that I do not get to sluff off anymore." Snape smirked.

Hermione shook her head as she left. Snape was being nice to Harry. Maybe his aloofness was simply a cover so no one would find out what he was. Hermione was still pondering the situation when she got back into the dorm and went to bed that night. Harry and Snape vampires….who would have believed it.

* * *

Draco lay in his bed, wishing for something to change, wishing that his parents actually cared about him. He rolled over onto his side. This was the third night this week that he hadn't been able to sleep. Everyone hated him, and not just a little. He could still feel the punches and kicks. He hated Lucius with a passion. If Lucius had never killed a Weasley, he would never have been in this mess.

He rolled over to his other side and pulled his knees to his chest. Even his godfather had abandoned him. When he woke, no one was by his bed, remotely caring. Every time Potter had ever been injured, he had gaggles of people standing over him, waiting with bated breath for his eyelids to flicker. Draco hated it. He didn't really care about the fame, but he wanted just one person to show some interest in him besides what he could do for them.

He had already decided that as soon as he graduated from Hogwarts, he was going to go study something that was secluded. And maybe, then he would be forgotten. If he was forgotten- at least he wouldn't be second best. And better yet, he wouldn't have his parents ragging on him to be better.

Maybe he should go study dragons…it really would be fitting. Draco laughed at his own pun, but silently wished he had someone to share it with.

Suddenly, a strange smell entered the room. Draco froze. The smell definitely wasn't normal, and he could feel the intense presence of the being that was now standing behind him.

"Young Dragon?" The voice asked. Draco turned to look at the creature and grabbed his wand.

"Now, now, young sir. No need for that. I am not here to harm you. I am here to help."

Draco looked at the creature intently. The creature was tall with long silver hair and long glassy claws, but somehow, with the swirling blue eyes, the creature was also surprising beautiful.

"What are you?" Draco asked.

"I believe the question you are searching for is, who? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Erasmus. I am a mentor of sorts to your father."

"Sir, I have never seen you before in my life. My father's mentor lives not 3 hours from my home."

"Ahhh, yes. You are a bit confused. The people you have been living with for the past 16 years are not your parents." Draco looked at the creature in shock.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that you are NOT a Malfoy! Why your father ever let that happen is a mystery I will probably never solve…No, young dragon, your father teaches here at this school."

Draco's eyes opened wide. He couldn't remember any staff member who could remotely be considered to be his father.

"Your looks come from your mother. Unfortunately, she passed on while giving birth to you. Your father has never recovered from the loss."

Draco shook his head. This can't be happening. Everything that he was, everything that was ever expected of him was for nothing. Draco looked at Erasmus.

"Who is my father?"

"I believe you know him as your potions master. This has gone on long enough. Come, my child."

Draco took the creature's hand and was pulled into the darkness that was the space between worlds. Before he had an inkling as to what was happening, Erasmus grabbed the boy forcefully and bit deeply into his neck. Draco felt his life pulling away, and then, there was nothing. Everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

Draco felt a strange pulling at his chest, and opened his eyes. There, standing in front of him, was the strange creature, holding a human heart. Draco's eyes grew wide. He looked down at his own chest, and there was a simple hole where his heart should have been, but curiously, no blood seeped from the wound.

"Now, now, do not fret! This is a mere example of what you are now. You are the first that I have granted this gift in well over a century." snarled Erasmus.

Draco fought the terror that seemed to be crawling up his spine, and continued to look the creature in the eyes.

"You have not simply become one of my offspring, young sir, but an equal. Others, like your darling Professor, are offspring of sorts."

"What are you doing? Is this some bloody trick?" Draco spat.

"Ahhh, see here, young sir. That is why you have been given the gift. Not simply the gift of immortality, but the gift of a god."

"A god? You? I can hardly believe it."

Erasmus began to squeeze Draco's heart in his fist. Draco felt the pain instantly and cried out.

"Dragon, you have been given the ultimate gift. You have been chosen to share blood with the ancients. Your blood is no longer entirely your own, but mingled with countless souls. You are unique." Erasmus simply pushed Draco's heart back into the boy's chest, once in its proper home, it began to beat normally.

"What. Have. You. Done. To. Me." Draco snarled.

"You have been made, to put it bluntly, a master vampire."

"A What!"

"Yes, your father really should have taken better care of you. You've been half since birth. Now, you not only have the power from your father, but I allowed your blood to fully combine with mine, and let me tell you, from this point on, you will not find a stronger being of our kind than yourself. Your father is strong in his own right, but even he did not get to fully mingle with me. You, dear boy, will do great things."

Draco was stunned. His father was Snape, some old bloody vampire decided to give him eternal death, and now, he was being told that he was some sort of bizarre vampiric Harry Potter- this was not a good day.

* * *

Severus smirked as Miss Granger left his chambers. He knew that it would only be a matter of time for her to overcome her initial shock- then what he dreaded would come to pass. He would never hear the end of her questions, and that, in and of itself, terrified him. Hermione Granger, as all of the Hogwart's staff knew, would never let something anything alone when she didn't know much about it. He and Harry were decidedly in trouble. And Severus actually felt sorry for Harry. The poor boy didn't know the answer to half of the questions Miss Granger would come up with.

Severus walked back into his bedchamber and looked at Harry.

"Tomorrow, you will be able to go back to your dorms. For the time being, it would probably be best if you fed here, considering your sloppy eating habits. I will give you the password to my chambers. You can leave your bloodstone here with me."

Harry smiled at Snape. "Alright, Professor, but do you think that it will be safe enough?"

"Mister Potter. I have not let you down yet, have I?" Snape raised an eyebrow.

"No, sir. But what about the sunlight?" Harry asked.

"That we will take care of this evening. It requires a relatively simply potion to brew. I will teach you how to make it yourself this evening, but for the time being, you can share my stock. When you come to feed, simply make sure to drink a vial of the potion. It can be found in the drawer of the stand next to the bed."

Harry reached to his left and pulled open the table drawer. There, in immaculately arranged rows, were at least 30 small vials of blue liquid. Harry closed the dresser drawer and looked back to Snape.

"Thank you, Professor."

Snape nodded. "Now, get out of that bed, and take a shower. You can borrow a set of my robes for the time being. You've been wearing those same garments for too long."

Harry quickly jumped out of bed and ran into the door that Severus pointed to. As soon as Severus heard the water begin to run, he walked to his armoire and pulled out a set of robes. In the blink of an eye, he cast a slight shrinking spell on the robes to make them about Potter's size. He walked over to the lavatory door and knocked.

"Potter. I am going to open the door and set the robes inside. Take as long as you like." Severus heard a light hearted mumble from the boy and assumed that all was well. He opened the door just enough to set the robes inside and closed the door when he was certain that the robes were out of the path of the door.

Severus had just finished righting the bed and pulling out his portable potions lab when the familiar foul smell hit his nostrils. Severus slowly turned round. He was greeted with a sight that chilled him to the bone. Erasmus had arrived alright, but there, standing next to him with a strange glint in his eye was his son.

"Draco?" Severus asked inquisitively.

Erasmus patted Draco's shoulder and turned to Severus. "You simply do not know how to finish a task, do you Severus? Instead of taking care of your own son, you saved the Potter boy. How do you think that makes your own son feel?"

Severus could hardly contain his ire. He glared at Erasmus with hatred. "The only reason that my son had not been taken care of at this point was that I had to attend to a suicidal boy. Then manage to get him to the state in which I would not have to fear him trying the idiocy again. And you feel you have the right to brandish words against my character? Erasmus, you have done only one thing for me in my life, and that is to keep it going when I truly believe I would be better off dead. But no, you insist on making my life worse, and better yet, there is nothing that I can do about it. And worst of all, you give me this charge, and then set out to point out my blunders before I even manage to commit them."

Erasmus looked at Severus in shock. "Dear boy! That is not how I meant it at all."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I rather thought that running in here, declaring statements about my lack of care for my son rather proved my point justifiably."

It was that moment that Harry chose to return from the lavatory. He turned from a really angered Snape, to a confused looking Draco, to a man that looked like he appeared in a Muggle horror comic.

"Um…sorry if I'm interrupting anything." Harry turned to go back into the lavatory.

"Potter, you might as well stay and meet the esteemed presence who granted this curse upon us."

Harry looked at Snape in shock. Draco simply had his head bowed to the floor, and the creature looked at Snape with sadness in his eyes.

"Severus, you should know me by now. I had to be snide to you. You never seem to listen to me except when I am anything but. I chose to help you by bringing your son over. In fact, you should be grateful. He has been given the gift."

Severus turned, looked at Draco with his head down, and looked back at Erasmus.

"Apparently, you've been away from humanity entirely too long. The only thing that you have accomplished is that now my son thinks that I think of him as worthless, which is anything but the truth. What is the use of the gift, Erasmus, if the boy becomes a Wildling?"

Erasmus steadied himself, his eyes turning black with rage. "What is the use of a father, Severus, if your son never knew of you except in the ruse of a Professor?"


	9. Chapter 9

Before Snape could move a muscle, Draco had situated himself between the two elder vampires and opened his mouth. The piercing sound that erupted from his mouth was like no other Harry had ever heard. It seemed to resonate throughout Hogwarts, almost as if it were a sound of demonic reckoning. Harry and Snape cowered from the noise, Erasmus simply smiled.

Draco began to stalk around the room, stealthily like a very large cat, his eyes glowing red.

"Enough. I have had enough. I don't need two sniveling examples of cowardice trying to fight over my childhood. I don't need a father. I have never had a true one, dear old Dad took care of that!" Draco spat and glared at Snape. "I have a notion to get rid of the lot of you. I have no use for any of you!"

Erasmus stepped forward and calmly placed a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Dragon, calm down. Your father set you in the hands of the Malfoy's out of love, believe it or not."

Draco turned and glared at Snape. Snape closed his eyes, almost as if meditating. Large black bat like wings suddenly burst from his back. When Snape looked up, Erasmus twitched his lips. Snape rushed Erasmus and placed his large hands, now equipped with black tipped claws, around his Master's neck.

"You have done nothing for me but make my life hell. I no longer care if you kill me for sheer insolence. But what you have done tonight is uncalled for. How dare you change my son!" Snape pitched Erasmus into the air. Erasmus caught himself before he hit the wall and smiled at Snape, bearing his fangs.

Harry grabbed Draco and huddled them both into a corner, hoping that they would be out of the way.

"Severus, you dare challenge me? I am surprised." Erasmus threw Snape against the far wall of the chamber with a minute flick of his wrist. "Unlike you, Severus. I am not bound by the laws of the natural order."

Snape jumped to his feet, panting in anger. Before anyone could focus on what he was doing, Snape threw his wand like a projectile hitting Erasmus squarely in the throat. His wand staked Erasmus to the wall. Erasmus began to laugh.

"Well, it seems that you have finally learned, Severus. It is about time that you stood up to me rather than crawling about the floor like a worm." Erasmus pulled himself off of the wand, when he walked towards the middle of the room, Harry could see that Snape's wand was still stuck in the bloody stone wall!

"Erasmus, did it ever occur to you that I was simply biding my time until I found a way to end my existence. I did not care what you thought of me. And at this moment, you have stolen from me my last hope- my son. For that, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you pay dearly."

Erasmus suddenly burst into applause. "Severus! You are making me proud! I would never have guessed that you had that much gumption within you. For that treat, I will give you a gift."

"No, Erasmus. I've had enough of your gifts over the years. I have seen what power can do to a slightly dark wizard, and I have paid for that mistake in the past. Do not tempt me. "

Erasmus' expression changed to one of amusement. "Do you think, Severus, that I would let my progeny cease to exist while I was still walking this plane? You always did have a knack for brightening my day." Erasmus charged to Snape, grabbed him before Snape could stop him, and bit deeply into his neck. Draco and Harry watched in astonishment as Erasmus grabbed Snape's head and forced Snape to bite into his neck. Draco and Harry took one look at each other, nodded, and ran from the chambers and out into the hall.

"I have never seen anything like that in my life!" Harry gasped.

"Count your blessings, Potter. What do you think a Death Eater meeting resembles?"

Harry simply stared at Draco openmouthed.

"What, Potter? Admiring my beauty?"

"No, you stupid git! Go find a bloody mirror will you!" Draco reached up and touched his face. Everything seemed to feel fine, until he felt his ears. They were now slightly elongated and pointed like the ears of a bat.

"What did he do to me?" Draco asked quietly.

Harry shrugged. Before Draco was able to completely go insane, the door of the chambers opened bearing Erasmus.

"Boys, I think you'd better come inside. It is not safe for you in the halls yet."

Seeing as they didn't have much of a choice, Harry and Draco entered the chambers they had fled mere moments before. When Harry saw Snape he choked. Snape was still Snape, but he looked a bit younger. Before he could ponder Snape's appearance for and length of time, Draco lost it.

"What the bloody hell did you do to my ears?" Draco yelled at Erasmus.

"I do not know what you are talking about, Dragon."

"You did something to them. I did not have bloody bat ears this morning!"

Snape began to laugh, truly laugh. "Draco, you really will need to learn to control your newfound talents. I believe that in the course of your anger, you began to change into your animal form."

"You mean I'm a bloody Animungus now?" Draco asked with wide eyes.

"No, Draco. Vampires have always had the ability to transform into several shapes. Usually, vampires can become wolves, bats, and mist- at least according to Bram Stoker. But folklore tells tales of our kind transfiguring into a multitude of animal forms. You, need to calm down. As soon as you calm yourself, your precious ears should regain their normal form."

Erasmus patted Draco on the shoulder. "I will leave you now. Your father is certainly capable of your protection." And with that, Erasmus apparated into a cloud of green mist.

"Is he always that dramatic?" Harry asked.

Snape laughed again. "Yes, I suppose so. But honestly, this is the worst it has ever been."

Draco sighed, threw himself on the floor of the room, and buried his head in his hands. Severus allowed the boy time to grieve. He knew intuitively that if he tried to touch him right now, Draco would run from him. And that would be the worst thing that could happen. Especially since Draco had no idea how to harness his power. Hogwarts was never going to be the same again.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own HP- wish I did!

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers and thanks to those who added me to their c2's!

* * *

Harry looked wide-eyed at Snape and pointed to Draco.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Snape sighed. "I believe he can hear you, Harry."

Harry blushed and mumbled a quick, "Sorry."

Draco raised his head and looked at Snape. "Good parenting skills, Severus."

Snape looked sadly at Draco. "I truly wished that this hadn't occurred this way, Draco. For that, I am truly sorry."

"What good is a 'sorry' going to do me? At least before I knew that my so-called parents provided for me. I withstood everything, beatings, been crucio-ed countless times. All because my real dad didn't give a rat's ass about me. And now, I get to be a freak on top of it!"

Draco's eyes had turned red. Harry was starting to wish that Erasmus would come back. This was not going to be good.

"Draco. You are in no shape to understand now. You need to feed." Snape offered Draco his arm. Draco turned his head. Snape pulled his arm away, clearly hurt.

"Draco, starving yourself is not going to solve anything. You cannot die that way."

Draco began to laugh. "What makes you think that I am stupid enough to create a bond with you, old man? I would rather drink from Weasel than you!" With that Draco stormed off to the corner.

Harry quietly walked over to Snape. "Professor, what are we going to do?"

"Nothing, tonight. The only thing that will solve this mess is time."

"What about Erasmus? Is he going to come back?"

Snape chuckled a bit. "Come back? I can hardly get rid of him as it is. He simply tends to show up at the most annoying moments."

Draco stormed back from the corner and glared at Snape. "You make me sick. You care for him," he gestured to Harry, "more than you care for your own blood."

Snape sighed. "Draco, Erasmus has made a mess of things. Harry was changed first because there was no choice. I will not tell you what happened, that is Harry's business. Erasmus on the other hand, will never be controlled by anything. He has his own ideas. His own agenda."

Harry mumbled quickly. "What did he do to you, anyway?"

Snape turned to Harry. "It was simply a blood exchange, Harry. Nothing more. Erasmus apparently has decided that I am worthy to be an heir. That is how it is done in this world."

Draco snorted. "An heir? Hah! Erasmus gave me an idiotic story about how I was just "so worthy" to have shared blood with him." Draco glared at Snape. "You probably planned this all along. Conveniently, you get to have the "honor" the same night I get pushed into this mess. Potter was probably the first. The wondrous boy-who-lived can't die now can he?"

Snape glared at Draco. "Enough! You cannot survive at this point without me, so I suggest that you make the best of it. Mr. Potter is none of your concern." Snape grabbed Draco roughly by the shoulders. "For your information, Mr. Potter has not been given Erasmus' gift. Not yet. Count yourself lucky, Draco. You will never have to worry about the sun, you will never have to worry about anything. He made you very powerful. I had to live for years in darkness and making potions just so I could stand the sun. You have no idea how lucky you are!"

Draco jerked himself away from Snape. "Don't you ever touch me again! Lucky am I? Lucky that my own father would rather I be tortured than to have me live with him. I'm lucky alright. You can keep it. I don't want anything from you!"

Draco stormed out of Snape's chambers before Snape could stop him. Snape ran past Harry and out of the room. Harry stood…quiet and frozen. He never knew Malfoy had it that bad.

* * *

Draco stood panting beside the lake, silently wishing for the squid to attack him and kill him off. Everything was always about Harry-Bloody-Potter! Why was he ever chosen to be the one that had to live in the shadow of the boy-who-lived! Draco hated his life.

At one time, he felt that Snape was the one person he could count on. Now, Snape had proven that he could not be trusted. Just as he was about to walk into the lake, Draco heard Snape calling him in the distance. He quietly turned around.

"Draco! Get away from the lake!"

Draco smiled. He found a way to gain some leverage. "Why?"

"Draco! Don't toy with me. Get away from there. We need to talk."

Draco snorted. "I have nothing I wish to discuss."

"Draco, I beg you. Come away from the lake. I don't want it to end this way."

Draco raised an eyebrow at Snape. The man had gone soft. "Are you sure that Erasmus didn't steal your soul?"

Snape looked at Draco questioningly. "What are you talking about?"

"You are not acting like yourself. Since when do you act this way?"

Snape marched down to the edge of the lake and grabbed Draco by the collar. "Since I now have my son!"

Draco was stunned. He let Snape lead him back into the castle and back down into his chambers. Potter was still standing where they had left him. Draco stopped in front of the boy.

Harry looked up, nodded at Draco, and began to grab his things.

Snape turned around and looked at Harry. "Harry? Where do you think you are going?"

"Back to Gryffindor tower, Professor."

"No, you will not. You do not have potion yet. You will stay here tonight. I will give you a supply of potion in the morning."

With that, Snape stormed into his bedchamber, cast a few spells making two beds, and walked back into the main chamber.

"Both of you, to bed. I don't want to hear another peep until tomorrow morning."

Draco and Harry recognized the voice. It was as if the "new" nice Snape had been abruptly replaced with the old in the blink of an eye. They did not dare challenge him.

* * *

Once the boys were in bed, Severus allowed himself to relax. He allowed himself to sink down into the chair that sat near the fireplace. He had almost lost Draco. Not literally, the squid was no harm to Draco now, but figuratively. His son hated him. But at least in the end, he had agreed to come back. Perhaps time would change things.

If only Erasmus had let him do this his way. Sometimes, Severus wondered if Erasmus was really as cruel as he made himself out to be. He certainly liked to meddle. If Severus had anything to do with it, Erasmus was going to help clean up the mess he made.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Again, thanks to everyone that reviewed and added me to their c2's. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything HP, wish I did though. So does Erasmus for that matter.

* * *

The following morning, Severus made sure that Harry fed from the bloodstone. Draco had stormed out of his chambers before he could remotely offer. Severus supposed that Draco would come to him when he was hungry. Harry, however, was a different story. The boy drank savagely, and at moments, Severus wondered if the Boy-Who-Lived had more surprises up his sleeve. Before Harry left for breakfast, Severus slipped Harry several vials of potion that would allow him to walk in the sun unharmed.

Severus couldn't believe the mess he was currently faced with. If only Erasmus hadn't decided to butt in. He probably thought that he was doing Severus a service…as usual, he was gravely mistaken. By all rights, Severus knew that he should storm out of Hogwarts and apparate to Erasmus' lair to give him a piece of his mind. But he couldn't leave Harry. And Draco, well, he had to make sure that Draco didn't kill anyone.

Severus rubbed at his eyes, trying to erase the evening's excesses. Somehow, he found it difficult to put on the mask that he always wore. Today may well be the death of him.

* * *

Hermione practically squealed with joy when she saw Harry enter the Great Hall.

"Harry! I'm so glad that you are feeling better!"

Harry laughed. "Mione, I told you I would be. Can I copy your notes?"

Hermione smiled and reached into her satchel. "I already copied them for you, Harry. I figured that was the least I could do."

Harry took note of the mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Let me guess, you will alert me of the payment later."

Hermione grinned devilishly. "No, not later. I simply want to ask you a few questions later on this evening. Shall we meet in the Room of Requirement after dinner?"

Harry rubbed his hands through his still messy hair. "Why do I have the feeling that I am going to live to regret telling you any of this?"

"Oh, Harry. It won't be that bad! I promise not to keep you for very many hours."

"Hours!" Harry yelled as Hermione quickly made her exit from the Great Hall. "Great," Harry thought. "I guess I can assume that by the end of the night, she will either have drained me dry of any will to live, or I will have completely frustrated her with my lack of knowledge."

* * *

Draco scowled as he prowled the dungeons. To him, his life was officially over. What was the point in even bothering with Hogwarts? It wasn't like wizarding society had any great love for vampires. Otherwise, the students would have known about Snape from the beginning. But no, he might as well believe that he was going to end up living like a pauper, just like Remus Lupin. Death was better than that, but Erasmus took care of that. There was no way that he could die. He was doomed to walk the earth by himself, so spend it with the sodding Boy-Who-Lived and his dear old dad, who incidentally, never wanted him in the first place.

Suddenly, Draco felt a sharp pain stab through his abdomen. Quickly, he looked around to see if Peeves was somehow attacking him, but nothing was there. He took a few short breaths, and just as soon as he thought whatever it was that was causing this pain had left, the pain stabbed once more and brought the young Slytherin to his knees.

Draco curled into a fetal position on the hard cold stone floor. The pain radiated though his body, pulsing with every beat of his heart. Before he lost consciousness, his only thought was that he would probably die there on the stone floor, and no one would find him. At least not any time soon.

* * *

Severus froze. Something was terribly wrong. He could feel it. Quickly, he stood up from the head table and ran out of the Great Hall, following the pulse he could hear beating in his mind. As soon as he hit the dungeons, the beat seemed to echo inside of his mind. He knew he was close.

He made his way quickly through the maze of the dungeons, finally finding the source of the pain. There, was Draco, sprawled on the floor in front of the door to his chambers. Severus quickly crouched down beside the boy and opened his wrist with a jagged fingernail. With his other hand, he gently cradled Draco's head, allowing his mouth to fall open. The boy's eyes flew open as soon as the first drop of blood hit his tongue.

Before Severus knew what was happening, Draco pushed him away and allowed his head to hit to hard stone floor.

"Draco, don't be ridiculous. If you don't feed, the pain is not going to stop. It will consume you until you become an animal. You won't even focus on what you are feeding from, and most likely, whatever you do feed from will not survive." Severus said softly.

Draco stiffened. He wasn't a killer. "How do I know that you are not lying to me? You've been lying to me for my entire life. What makes now so much different?"

"Draco, nothing I say will convince you. But you have to admit, the pain was already making you think of anything just to make it stop. It really is not much of a step to leap from pain to the ravages of chaos."

Draco sighed in defeat. "If that is the case, why do you even care? What is it to you how I turn out anyway? You are the one who made sure that I was a Malfoy. How is me loosing control and killing so much different than allowing me to be trained to be the next Dark Lord, Severus. I really want to know."

"Draco…I admit that I've made mistakes, but I never made them because I did not care. You are too much like your mother, Draco. Since her death, I find it hard to look at you. You are so much your mother's son…I was planning to get you out of there. Not that you will believe me. I was not going to allow you to receive the Dark Mark."

Draco glared at Severus. "Really? You were going to save me from the Dark Mark were you?" Draco pulled up the sleeve of his robe bearing a faded, but distinct skull tattoo." You were too late. They did it to me, and you didn't even know. So don't talk to me about how much to care for me. I really don't want to hear it. All I want to do is die, but from the looks of things, I've been cheated out of that release."

Draco pulled himself to his feet. "So go take care of the Potter brat. He's the one who is good right? Not that it makes any difference that I was never given the chance."

Severus couldn't believe it. One moment, Draco was yelling, the next, he was simply gone. He did not apparate, there was no disturbance in the air, and it was as if he simply ceased to exist in the present world.

Severus pulled himself up and shuddered. Draco was much more powerful than he had anticipated. He could only hope that Erasmus found Draco before he did something foolish.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize that is JKR's.

A/N: Thanks so much to all that reviewed. Keep them coming! I read them all.

* * *

Severus loped back to his chambers. He had to contact Erasmus before Draco endangered them all. Erasmus never gave him the chance to bond with his son, no, that would be too easy. Erasmus simply succeeded in creating a wildling, a Master wildling at that. If his son wasn't controlled soon, the anger would leach out in his thirst, and many innocent lives would be at stake.

Once Severus reached his rooms, he ran inside and quickly grabbed an anthame from a nearby table. He ran to the fireplace and looked deeply into the flames. He muttered the familiar words into the fire and sliced into the flesh of his hand with the blade. Once the blood sizzled on the fire, Erasmus appeared quietly behind Severus.

Severus' ears pricked, sensing his master. He slowly turned to face the one that had caused this mess.

"My dear boy, what made you summon me so….enthusiastically?" Erasmus asked with a crude smile playing on his lips.

"You need to fix this mess you've caused. My son, your chosen, is letting the hunger grow."

Erasmus seemed to flip-flop between expressions of amusement and worry. "Explain further, Severus."

"Draco has become what I never wanted to see. You made him wild. If we all end up in Azkaban, it will surely be your fault. Draco has no idea how to stave the power that you have given him."

"Surely, you are exaggerating. I merely turned the boy because you didn't seem able."

"Alas, once again you think, but you do not understand. That boy has never felt the concern of a parent. The Boy, that you decided to bestow your power upon, is at the moment on the verge of attacking someone on these grounds. If he attacks, he will surely kill. And that, dear sir, will be the end of us. And at the very least, it will be the beginning of the largest vampire hunt Britain has ever known."

Erasmus seemed to think for a moment, and then smiled at his adopted child. "Ahhh, as usual Severus, you fret too much." Erasmus vanished with a wave of his hand.

Severus sorely hoped that Erasmus would manage to calm Draco long enough to feed. At this point, that was the most important step. Later, there would be time to work on mending everything that has been lost.

* * *

Harry sat in his bed in Gryffindor tower silently brooding. He had let Hermione ask so many questions that his head spun, but only after 45 minutes, Hermione became frustrated as Harry knew so few of the answers to her questions. How was he supposed to know why Bulgarian vampires only had one nostril? Hermione had finally blown a gasket when he suggested that she ask Viktor Krum, since he would undoubtedly know.

The pressure of everything was beginning to weigh heavily in Harry's mind. It wasn't that he was not incensed that Snape had given him this unwanted existence, he simply was biding his time. The only consolation was that Voldemort would have a bit more trouble killing him. The **Avada Kedavra** simply did not work on vampires. So Voldemort would have to figure out something else.

He wouldn't have even known about the lack of effect from a killing curse if it hadn't been for Hermione's unending questions.

Right now, the only reason he wasn't showing his anger was simply that he knew that Snape had the ability to make him do anything he wanted. Snape, in fact, had the ability to control Harry, and Harry only had a slight understanding of it. There was a connection of sorts since Snape had been the one to "bring him over." He could feel Snape in his mind constantly now, and Harry could sense that if Snape wanted to, he could exert any amount of control over him, but surprisingly, so far Snape had not used this power. And for a brief moment, when Snape acted like he was actually concerned about him, Harry felt as if maybe he would finally have a family. But then, Draco entered the mix, and he found out that Snape had simply helped him because he was a student. Draco was his real son, and even if Draco didn't believe it, Harry would always be second best compared to Draco.

It was this that made him put on the mask. As long as he wore the mask, he was safe. As soon as it slipped, Harry would suffer the consequences, and after having seen Snape and Erasmus fight, Harry did not want any form of punishment from Snape if he could keep from it.

The only positive thing about Harry having become a vampire is that Voldemort seemed to not be able to send him dreams. Ever since he changed, Harry had slept well.

Harry stretched out in his bed, thanking Merlin that the bed had curtains and he would always have this dark cocoon for privacy.

* * *

Draco shifted his position at the base of the tree. Although he had been in the Forbidden Forest for over an hour, to Draco, it felt like years. Each passing moment was an expression of agony. The pain seemed to burn from inside each vein, trying to force him to kill something to feed the monster. Draco had no intention of feeding the monster. For all he cared, he could starve to death. Perhaps, if he was lucky, no one would find him until he had become a pile of bones.

Before Draco could breathe he felt the grasp of a cold hand on his shoulder. At once, Draco knew that Erasmus had come.

"Child, do not tell me that you are sniveling. Do not tell me that you are a weakling."

Draco fought the feeling of hopelessness pass through his body. Erasmus would have to remind him of Lucius Malfoy at that moment. He was never good enough for his real father, he certainly wasn't good enough for Lucius Malfoy, and now, even Erasmus was disappointed. He slowly looked into Erasmus' eyes, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spring forth.

"No, I am not a weakling." He said with determination.

Erasmus smiled. "Now, you do not plan on killing half the population of this school, do you?"

"Not that it hasn't crossed my mind. But no, I have no plans of that."

The old vampire smiled. "Good. Now, you must listen, and listen carefully. You must feed. Not because you want to, but because if you do not, the so-called monster as you have chosen to call it, will most certainly make you feed. Think of it as an extra entity sharing your body. If you wish to destroy that body, your other self will unconsciously save it. When the animal takes over, the only thing that will surround you is death. You must choose to feed. That is the only way to control it."

Draco glared at Erasmus. "What if I wish to die?"

Erasmus laughed. "Boy, there is no way that you can die, to be honest, I am not even sure what will kill me, and since I gave you my power, you are certainly immortal. Besides, in any case, a vampire cannot starve to death. Even if we would become bones, all it would take is one small drop of blood, and our bodies will begin to regenerate themselves. Believe me you do not want to come back into existence that way. I remember it well. It was the worst pain that I have ever experienced. Now, come inside. Allow your father to feed you, silly boy. I'm afraid that most of this is all my fault. Do not take it out on Severus. He truly thought that he was doing the best for you."

Draco sneered at Erasmus. "Really? His best was to let me be abused by my adoptive family?"

Erasmus sighed. "Draco, you may think that you have a death wish, but you bear nothing on Severus. He has tried everything, even a few things that were quite inventive. He felt that with the thirst, a vampire's life was no place for a child."

Draco looked at Erasmus expectantly. Erasmus looked pointedly at Draco and stared deeply into his eyes. "Besides, you should be happy for this. You will never die. You will have more power than you ever would have wished. What does it matter that Severus helped the Potter boy? You are no longer part of this war, Draco. You are not expected to be with that moldy excuse for a Dark Lord. The true Dark Wizards were all immortal. He is a scam, a fraud. True darkness knows that the world exists in a perfect balance. Where would we be if Voldemort wiped out muggles? We would loose our main food source."

Draco smiled after that. For once, he achieved something. Erasmus led him to see it. He was now more powerful than the Dark Lord. Draco looked at Erasmus. "Take me to my father."

Erasmus smiled. "Your every whim will be granted, Draco. Let him teach you. I promise you, you will not regret it."


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews DestinyEntwinements , vampirebabe , kears , nicky12330 , and Padawan Jan-AQ .

There was a question about the Bulgarian Vampire and the one nostril. According to Bulgarian folklore, the Ubour is created when a person meets a violent, sudden death, when a cat jumps over a corpse, or when a spirit refuses to leave its body by sheer force of will. The corpse remains in the ground for forty days, bloated and filled with a gelatinous substance until a skeleton forms. Once risen, the ubour cases all kinds of mischief, drinking blood only when other nourishment (regular food and dung) is not available. Its destruction is usually undertaken by a trained vampire killer known as the vampirdzhija. This sorcerer can detect the ubour before it has formed and can destroy it after it has risen, most commonly by bottling. This type of vampire has only one nostril, possesses a barbed tongue, and emits sparks during the night. 

In case you are interested in learning about other types of vampire around the world, go to a search engine and look for the Vampire Research Society Worldwide from which I obtained the above information. For some reason, I can't enter the webpage here.

* * *

Draco allowed himself to be led back into the castle by Erasmus. Somehow, it was too good to be true. He never had to worry about the Dark Lord again. In fact, he could, if he wanted, make the Dark Lord bow down to him. But for now, he was simply happy to be free. 

Draco was jolted out of his reverie by the expansive jolt of pain that seared through his veins. He collapsed to the ground in front of the entrance to the castle.

"Dragon, see this is what happens when you stall the beast his dinner." Erasmus coughed a strange laugh. "But no matter, you have now learnt your lesson, perhaps you will not forget the beast from now on."

At that moment, all Draco wanted to do was curse Erasmus into oblivion, but seeing as the elder vampire had complete control over his powers, Draco knew he'd be bested in any confrontation with the master vampire. He sneered as he got up from the ground and stalked off into the castle.

Erasmus watched as the boy stalked away. Yes, his temper was proving to be a most interesting thing to play with…

* * *

Severus sat staring blankly into the flames that danced in the fireplace. He could only hope that Erasmus could make the boy understand. 

He sighed and swirled the fire-whisky in his glass. Just as he was about to pour himself another glass, a loud pounding hit his door. Severus quickly set down his glass and seemed to glide over the surface of the floor to answer the door. When he opened it, he was shocked to see Draco standing there, weak, but at the same time, incensed.

"Come in, Draco." The boy stalked in, and Severus could hardly contain his amusement over the fact that Draco had inadvertently picked up his classic walk, robes billowing behind.

"Is everything alright?" Severus asked.

Draco glared. "Everything is fabulous. I have been abused for years for no apparent reason, I have a nutcase of a vampire breathing down my neck, and I have a former Death Eater as a father- no wait, I already thought I had one of those."

Severus held his temper, and walked over to his father's portrait, performed the ritual, and pulled the blood stone forth.

Draco looked puzzled at the strange stone that Severus was now holding out to him.

"This is a true blood stone, Draco. It is messy, I'll not deny that. But it will feed you."

Draco took the stone from his father's hand and looked at Severus questioningly.

"How am I supposed to feed from a bloody stone?"

Severus looked towards the ceiling, almost praying to Merlin to give him strength. "You suck it, Draco. You will not feed from me, so the stone is the only other option. That is unless you would wish to hunt in the Forbidden Forest."

"No, sir." Draco said with a sigh. He walked over to the fireplace and sat down in the chair that his father had occupied earlier and began to carefully suck on the strange stone.

"Ahhh, I love to see a father and son bonding." Draco looked up to see that Erasmus had indeed simply appeared in Severus' chambers.

"Master, stop goading the boy. Let him take his nourishment in peace." Severus glared pointedly at Erasmus.

"Tut, tut, Severus. Always the protector." Erasmus smiled sardonically. "He is as much my child as yours, I am merely having fun."

"Ah yes, your fun is about as amusing as collecting dragon's dung." Quipped Severus.

Erasmus laughed…hard. "Only you, Severus, would make me laugh over dung. You see, that is why I meddle so. You amuse me like none of my other children. I have always appreciated your sense of humor."

Severus rolled his eyes. Draco dropped the stone and laughed, spitting blood all over Severus' oriental rug.

"Lovely, Draco. Now you do remind me of Potter. Neither of you can manage to feed without making a mess!"

Draco glared at Severus. "Never compare me to that prat. Gryffindor Golden Boy. Always does everything right. I may as well not even exist while he's around."

"Draco, that is certainly not true. If anything, you are equals."

Draco stood and walked towards his father. "But in whose eyes, Father!" Draco spat.

Erasmus walked in between them. "Now, now, Dragon. Temper. You must learn to control that temper. I do not need to find myself having to go through the trouble of making a new family. It is really most tiresome, and this fighting simply will not do."

* * *

Harry lay in his bed, thinking. He was tired. Not physically, but definitely mentally. He rolled over onto his side and glared into the darkness. It was really strange to be able to see so well. It was still difficult to think that he would never need glasses again. 

All he wanted was a family, one that he would never lose. There was a part of him that wished he'd never been born. If he wasn't around, Lucius Malfoy wouldn't have had a reason to kill Ginny Weasley. And now, he was stuck somewhere between life and death.

If only Snape had just let him die. At the rate he was going, there would be no way that he could defeat Voldemort. He knew that he was doing well in his classes, but honestly, he couldn't fathom having enough knowledge to defeat the dark wizard. Somehow, knowing how to make a pineapple tap dance didn't give him much confidence.

There was so much that he didn't know. And being a vampire definitely wasn't helping anything. His spells did seem a bit stronger, but he had no way of controlling anything. The things that he now found easy seemed to be mere parlor tricks. Nothing he was learning was going to help him.

Harry rolled to the other side, and thought for a moment. If only he could learn from the master vampire. He definitely had centuries of power behind him, even more than Dumbledore. If anyone would know how to defeat Voldemort, the master would know how.

Harry finally drifted off to sleep peacefully. For once, he felt that if he could just learn what he needed, he may have a chance at defeating the Dark Lord. Evil or no. He may even have to fight Voldemort at his own game. Harry knew that Snape new the Dark Arts…and Erasmus probably knew more than any teacher at the school.

Something big was about to happen, but what, he had no idea.

* * *

Severus sat up out of a deep sleep with a feeling of dread creeping stealthily onto his skin. He panted for a moment, and looked around his chambers. Everything appeared to be fine. Then he realized the source of his discomfort…Potter's thoughts. 

The Dart Arts were calling the boy.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own HP, HP owns me.

A/N: Padawan Jan-AQ, DestinyEntwinements, Iloveplotbunnies, kears, nicky12330, Hilga Pence- thanks for the reviews!

* * *

Late that evening, Harry sat straight up in bed. Something was wrong. He gingerly pulled open the curtains at the foot of the bed revealing Snape.

"Professor." Harry whispered. "What are you doing here?"

Severus grabbed Harry's hand and silently apparated them to the pond. Harry was still reeling from the feeling…This form of apparition was nothing like Harry had ever felt before.

"What was that?" Harry gasped.

Severus smirked. "Just a simple bonus I suppose you could say. Our kind is not bound by the physical laws of wizards."

Harry rubbed his eyes and looked at Snape with a puzzling countenance. Snape seemed to be staring off into the distance…quietly watching the tentacles of the squid lap at the water.

"Harry…" the man began. "Promise me that you will not follow my path."

"What are you talking about, Professor Snape?"

"Surely you have felt the connection that the both of us now share…I can know your every thought if I wish it. This evening, while I was trying to cling onto some much needed sleep, I was woken by thoughts from you…thoughts of the dark."

Harry stared at Snape…he was describing something akin to the connection that he used to feel with Voldemort. Somehow, the concern that was apparent in Snape's voice made Harry feel ashamed.

"Sir, sometimes I just want it over with. I don't feel like I will ever be able to gain enough knowledge to defeat Voldemort. Even if it means beating him at his own game."

Snape turned to Harry, and for once, the cold stern countenance had disappeared. "Harry, this war isn't easy for anyone, and I imagine that your family situation doesn't help matters. But turning to what made Voldemort what he is will not help you defeat him. That will only make you like him. You must concentrate on the one big difference that you have between Voldemort and yourself. That difference is what will be the turning point in this war."

"But, Professor, what do I have that is so different? I know that Dumbledore keeps mumbling something about the capacity of love, but it can't be that simple."

"Sometimes, Harry, the solutions to the biggest problems are the most simplistic. I now know that you are nothing that I ever truly made you out to be. Accept that as an apology. You will not be fighting Voldemort alone. What you don't seem to realize is that you do have a family now, albeit an unusual one."

Harry looked at Snape in shock. "A family?"

Snape managed to crack a smile. "Yes, Harry. Did you not pay attention in your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes? Vampires are very family oriented. The maker is usually considered to be the so-called father of a clan."

Harry began to feel a bit uncomfortable. What Professor Snape just said could not be what he was thinking he said.

"Sir, could you please explain?"

Severus rolled his eyes in a playful manner. "Harry, my maker was Erasmus. In the vampire world, he is considered to be my father. He would be your grandfather."

Harry was honestly not trying to be difficult, but he couldn't believe his ears…and at the moment, the shock was wavering between feelings of relief and ire.

'What are you saying, sir?" Harry asked pointedly.

"Harry, in the vampire world, I would be your father. You can treat me however you like. I will not fault you. But I took on that responsibility the moment I brought you over. Why do you think Draco is having such a difficult time?"

Harry couldn't believe his ears…the once thought greasy git was his adoptive father of sorts… All Harry could think of was the rage and anger of the last few years. Before he knew what he was doing he had tackled Snape to the ground and began punching and kicking the man.

Severus simply let the boy get rid of his frustration. After all, some of the kicks he deserved. Harry's tantrum was over almost before it had even started, and the boy fell to the ground on his knees.

"Finished?" Severus asked.

Harry sat, panting. He looked at Snape, watched a rivulet of blood seem to flow the opposite direction from Snape's face and seemingly crawl back into his skin. The cut slowly faded away leaving unblemished skin behind.

Severus simply looked at Harry with sadness in his eyes. He knew that the boy would never feel much for him, he had hurt him too badly. His own son didn't like him very much at the moment. He could only hope that through time, the two would see it in their hearts to forgive him.

Harry suddenly turned towards Snape. "Why did you do it?"

"Why did I do what, Harry?" Snape asked.

"Why did you give the information to Lord Voldemort? Why couldn't you leave my parents alone? Why did you have to be so selfish? Why should I not kill you right now?"

Severus sighed. He had known that this question would have been asked sooner or later. It was only natural, and it was about time that the boy let his true feelings show.

"Honestly, Harry, I would like nothing more than for you to kill me. If you figure out how, I will be eternally grateful…The answers to the other questions are not so simple."

Harry grabbed Snape by the throat and began to squeeze. Snape smiled and pushed the boy off with a flick of his wrist…Snape was that bloody strong. Harry resorted to glaring at his "father vampire" and hoped for a decent answer.

"In terms of the other answers you seek, I could say that I was selfish, that I was young and foolish. The truth is, Harry, there is nothing that I can say to excuse my actions. I gave your parents up out of spite. Out of spite for their happiness, out of spite for everything your father ever did to me. I have never said that I was a kind man, Harry. If I was truly pure, I never would have been a Death Eater. I cannot lie about that."

"How do I kill him then? You gave up information about my parents to try to help orchestrate my murder, the least you can do is to give me information in return."

Snape grinned. Harry was finally displaying the aptitude that he knew the boy had always been capable of.

"Spoken like a true Slytherin, Harry. The question you must ask yourself is whether you wish to defeat Voldemort as a wizard, or if you would wish to defeat Voldemort as a vampire. Each path has its own chance for folly, I'll not deny that. But each path has its own strengths. You need to choose, that will decide what I will need to tell you in order for you to defeat him."

"By rights, you should tell me everything. I deserve at least that much for the price I've paid."

Severus silently thanked Erasmus that he as of yet had not given Harry the gift of his blood. While he did still have a death wish, he needed to take care of Draco first. And if tonight was any indication, Harry may well end up the strongest of all.

Severus looked at Harry and nodded. "Tomorrow. The sun will be upon us soon, and you need to take your potion. Meet me in my chambers after dinner tomorrow. I will tell you everything you wish."

Harry grunted. "I warn you now, if you lie, I will find a way to defeat you. I will find a way to make you suffer. I will never give you what you want. For you, betray me, and you will never see death…you will relive the suffering that you have caused."

Snape could not help but notice that Harry was becoming something more…He was no longer the simple innocent Harry Potter everyone thought they knew…He was something else entirely…something not of this world.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own HP…Yadda yadda.

A/N: Thanks to those of you who reviewed. Some of your have been pointing out flaws within the story, sometimes I understand them and sometimes I don't. But I am glad that you are reviewing. More reviews definitely make the story better.

* * *

Draco was sitting in Severus chambers, calmly ripping the pages out of an ancient potions book. Somehow, the destruction made him feel better…just a little. He wanted to hurt his father…but nothing he could do would hurt Severus in the way that he had been hurt. The old man seemed to want death, so that was no peace on Draco's mind. The only things Severus seemed to truly care for were his potions books and Harry Potter. The first to go would be the books. He wanted Severus enraged. Then, hopefully, he would be able to so something about Harry Potter.

He surveyed the damage around the room. Pages were scattered all over the place, mixed in a jumble of parchment and ink. Just as soon as he heard the door begin to open, Draco caught the pages on fire with a flick of his wand.

The flames built and as Severus walked into the room, his mouth fell in astonishment. His first thought was that Draco was behind the fire. Rather than going after the books, Severus jumped through the fire after his son. He quickly extinguished the flames and began to look Draco over. The boy seemed unharmed.

"Draco, what happened?" He asked, concerned.

Draco smiled. "I thought you might like it, Severus."

"What are you talking about, Draco?"

"The flames…were so beautiful were they not?"

Severus looked at Draco, trying to decide if the boy was merely behaving like a facetious brat, or if the boy had cracked under the pressure of the past few days.

"Draco, why did you do this?"

Draco smirked. "I was testing you." He paused. "I honestly thought that your first thought would have been your precious books. How ironic that you went for me first. Just what is your agenda, Severus?"

Severus grabbed Draco by the throat and threw him down on the chair near the fire. The rage built within him in a way he had never felt before. To Draco, all of this was some sort of petty game. A game for children. He looked Draco in the eyes, breaking into his mind. Twisting, draining energy.

"How dare you play at being evil, Draco? You know nothing. You behave like a petty jealous child. Why Erasmus chose to give you his gift is something that I cannot begin to fathom. You don't deserve it." Severus broke contact with Draco's eyes and allowed the connection to his son's mind to break.

Draco looked at Severus, enraged. "Is that all you can do, Severus? The _Crucio_ is a much better form of punishment, don't you think? At least that's what your good friend Lucius believed. So, your little mind control trick was nothing."

Severus tossed Draco against the wall with a flick of his wrist. Draco collapsed to the floor and slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Quietly, Draco looked up to Severus, a glint in his eye that Severus had never seen the boy capable of.

"Two of us can play that way…" Draco closed his eyes and drew the power of the castle into himself, and slowly, without making the slightest gesture, Severus found himself slowly being sucked into the stone wall behind him.

Severus smiled to himself, in a way, his son was proving himself. In another, his son was gaining knowledge and power fast, and such a thing could be most dangerous. Before Severus felt a bone crack, he deflected the centralized power and stepped out of the wall.

"Bravo, Draco. Well done."

Draco raised an eyebrow at his father.

"I think we've had enough of this for one night." With a sweep of his arm, Severus righted the room, the books were replaced, the wall unblemished. "I think, Draco, that if you truly wanted to hurt me, you would have. There is no sense in you wasting this amount of energy if you are not going to use it for more than parlor tricks."

Draco jumped up from the chair and slashed Severus across the face.

"It's about time you drew blood, boy."

Severus merely smiled at Draco and went into his bed chamber, closing the door behind. Draco stood there, stunned.

* * *

The following morning, Harry woke, having to shut his eyes tight against the light of the morning. He was beginning to hate mornings. Quickly, he grabbed the potion from the table beside his bed and took a sip, almost immediately; the light became a bit more bearable.

He got out of bed, grabbed some clothes from his trunk, and quickly dressed. He was nervous. Not scared, but rather wary.

Once he made it to the Great Hall, he quietly sat down beside Hermione.

Hermione looked at Harry for a moment, and decided that something was definitely wrong.

"Harry, are you alright?" She asked.

Harry sighed and shook his head. "Last night wasn't good, Hermione. I can feel it. I'm changing."

"Harry, we all change."

"Not like this, Hermione." He looked around quickly, making sure that no one was watching. "I attacked Snape last night."

"What?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know what came over me. It was almost as if everything that had happened to my parents suddenly hit me at once. Everything that Snape did to help Voldemort, and I lost control."

Hermione looked at Harry in shock. She never would have expected him to attack a teacher.

"Then what, Harry. Are you going to be expelled?"

Harry smiled. Leave it to Hermione to worry about school. "No, Hermione. Snape strangely seemed to expect it. All of this is happening too fast. I feel myself becoming cold, and I don't know how to stop it. Snape just let me get everything out of my system. But I suppose what bothers me most is that when I was hitting him, I enjoyed it."

Hermione stared at Harry in shock.

"Hermione, I know, I know I'm not myself. The old Harry would never have threatened a teacher, let alone told them if he heard anymore lies that the teacher would need to expect to be tortured for eternity. I just don't know anymore Hermione."

Hermione recovered quickly. "At least Professor Snape wasn't hurt. You have to remember, sometimes when we really get angry, we say things we don't mean. That doesn't make you a bad person, Harry."

"That's just it, Hermione. I did mean it. I meant it all. Before I went to bed, I planned in my mind what could happen. It scares me, Hermione. But to be perfectly honest, I kind of like it."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own anything- except the story, and well, my vampire ramblings, and Erasmus- well you get the picture.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I think some of you will be surprised at the direction this chapter has gone. Enjoy!

* * *

The night before…

Draco stood for a long while, trying to figure out his next move. His father had probably lost his mind. He shuffled over to the couch and lay down. Why would anyone in their right mind be proud that he had drawn blood? What did that prove? That he may get to the point that he could kill his father?

He plumped a pillow and fell into a fitful sleep.

Severus opened the door to his room as soon as he was sure that Draco was out for the night. Something had to be done with the boy. His anger was too great. He had become a threat.

Damn Erasmus for meddling. He knew that no matter what, one of the boys would be hurt by the arrangement. But, at the rate that Draco was evolving, there was really no choice in the matter. If he didn't get him out of there, Draco would become completely uncontrollable. They did not need a rampaging wildling on their hands.

At least Harry was moving along rather well, he could leave him for a time if Erasmus stayed in his wake. Besides, the ancient git deserved some sort of punishment, and Severus could think of nothing better than to force Erasmus to teach a first year's potions class. The old coot would probably go mad.

Severus walked back into his bedroom and sliced his arm near the fire, calling his sire. After a few minutes, Severus felt the air shift and the presence of his master behind him.

"Erasmus." Severus turned around.

"To what do I owe this honor, Severus?" Erasmus asked facetiously.

"I need to take Draco away from here."

"Why? What is wrong with the dragon?"

"You know very well what is wrong with him." Severus snapped. "Now, I have to find a way to control him. All because of your meddling. You will do your part. Since I have to take care of this, you will watch over the Potter boy and take over my classes."

Erasmus gave Severus a rather amused look. "For how long?"

"As long as it takes." Severus replied snidely.

"Well, I always liked _children_. I am sure that I can find something to teach them." Erasmus said with a sinister twinkle in his eye.

"Remember, the Dark Arts are not taught at Hogwarts. I'm taking Draco to the manor. If anything occurs that can be classified as something that you might not handle well, you can contact me there."

"Of course, Severus. Take your boy. This is all I was trying to do in the first place. Do not worry about your position, I am sure that by the time you come back, your classes will be more than prepared for you."

Severus quickly packed some clothing for Draco and himself and carefully grabbed the boy in his arms, careful not to wake him. In an instant, they were gone.

Erasmus smiled. He would have the ability to corrupt the Potter boy. This was to prove most amusing. And thanks to Severus, perhaps he could manage to regain a following; a following the likes of which the wizarding world had not seen for a very long time. The current reign of terror would be in for a big surprise, and Erasmus always loved power. Ah yes, this would be most profitable.

* * *

Once Severus reached the manor he gently laid Draco on a sofa in the study. Hopefully, he would sleep through the night. Severus, on the other hand, knew that sleep was more than likely out of the question at the moment.

At least Erasmus would teach the students something. Granted his knowledge of potions was a bit out of date, but the students would have the chance to learn ancient potions that were considered lost- except for their pristine copies buried in the recesses of Erasmus' mind. He could only hope that Erasmus would not create a mess of things.

Severus watched Draco throughout the night. The boy's sleep was rather restless. He seemed addled with nightmares, their source, Severus could only guess. Much damage had been done to the boy, and Severus wasn't sure of the extent that the boy would heal. But hopefully, he would manage to save the boy from the path he was currently following.

* * *

That morning at breakfast, Harry received a package from Professor Snape that, to be blunt, shocked him. Not that the contents shocked him, but rather, the fact that Snape had sent him a package in the first place. Harry opened the accompanying letter and began to read.

_Mr. Potter,_

_I hope that this finds you in good spirits. Something occurred last evening that needs my immediate attention. Something with my son. I have enclosed a personal bloodstone for you as well as the instructions for the potions to refresh the stone and the irritation from the sun. I regret that I can longer tutor you properly. _

_If you need anything, Master Erasmus is taking over my classes until I return. You may go to him for anything that you need. _

_S. Snape_

He looked up at the head table, noticing that Snape was absent, and in his place was the imposing figure of the master vampire. Harry could hardly contain his rage. Once again, he was being abandoned. At least the others had an excuse; they all seemed to drop dead around him. Snape chose to abandon him. Great.

Harry balled the letter in his fist and snatched the parcel off the table.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It has simply come to my attention that more people than I thought were using me."

Harry stalked out of the hall, Hermione called after him. She began to get up to follow, but Harry glared at her in such a way that she truly feared his temper. She let him go.

* * *

Harry just could not believe it. Bloody Slytherins. He should have known better to trust again.

Harry stalked up to his room and dumped the package into his trunk, not really caring if anything was harmed at the moment. Why hadn't Snape just let him die when he wanted to? Oh yes, he was the bloody savior of the wizarding world…wonderful. They needed him to save their ass. How easy it was to forget. It was always interesting that no one was concerned until he might actually abandon his post, Merlin forbid!

Maybe he would simply refuse to fight. Let Old Moldy try to kill him. He really didn't care anymore. Maybe they would begin to care after he lost…if then.

Harry threw himself down on the bed and closed his eyes, feeling the burn of the sun from the window tingling on his skin. He had forgotten to take his potion… Oh well, maybe he would burn to a crisp. What would they do then? He would become Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Smelled-Like-Bacon.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All references to elements in the Harry Potter books belong to J.K.R. Plot, Erasmus, and other tidbits- namely vampire mystique, is all mine.

A/N: Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! DestinyEntwinements, shadowswolf, Ruth01, kears, Izzima, Hilga Pence, and Arwen-Evenstar-Elf!

* * *

Erasmus watched from the shadows of Harry's room. The boy was so very foolish. He quietly watched the smoke begin to rise from the skin of the boy and let him burn for a moment before engulfing the room in darkness. Perhaps the pain of the burns would teach the boy a lesson. He grabbed the boy and in the blink of an eye, they were situated in Severus' chambers.

He gently laid Harry on the couch in Severus' main room and began to stalk around the boy. This self-destructive streak was no good at all. It simply would not do. How this boy reminded him of Severus. But, he was simply too innocent to survive in this world, and Erasmus knew exactly what he had to do to corrupt the boy.

Slowly, Harry opened his eyes, finding himself not where he expected- which had been his own rooms, but rather, in what he had known to be Professor Snape's chambers. He looked down at his hands, feeling the pull of the skin; having tightened from the burning of the sun. He heard a soft rustling and looked up to see Erasmus standing like a hawk considering its prey.

"What am I to do with you, little lion?" Erasmus asked.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked as he gingerly raised himself to a sitting position.

"I cannot leave you alone for a single moment. How like Severus you are!"

Harry glared at the ancient vampire. "Do not mention his name." He growled.

"Why, lion! It seems that someone has woken on the wrong side of the coffin this evening! Is the poor little lion feeling abandoned?"

Harry felt the rage rise up inside him. How dare the old vampire patronize him! Harry jumped from the couch, his skin splitting open from the force, and charged Erasmus. Before Harry could do much more than barely graze the edge of Erasmus' robes, he found himself pinned to the wall by an unseen force.

"Naughty little lion…tsk tsk." Erasmus shook his finger accusingly at Harry. "We cannot have that."

Harry was levitated back to the couch. Once Erasmus set him down, Harry found that his arms and legs were seemingly bound by invisible bands.

"Why are you doing this?" Harry demanded.

"Simply because I can. Besides, I owe Severus. Until he and Dragon return, I am to watch over you. I take full responsibility. Do not fool yourself; since it is my blood that flows through Severus' veins, my blood is also contained within you. I know your every move, every breath. Plotting will not do any good, little lion."

Harry rolled his eyes. "If you were such a 'great watcher', then why did you let me burn myself?"

Erasmus glared at Harry. "Foolish boy. Look at yourself. You are scarred, burning, aching. Under my very whim, I can heal you in an instant, or let you suffer for eternity. You are much too young to bear such scars…How do you think your friends will react to you now? You look like a mottled, melted creature. You bear nothing of the semblance of the boy you once were. I am your master, your devil, your heaven and hell. Your soul lies in my hands, boy." Erasmus bent down to Harry, his nose almost touching. "And to think, you dare challenge me? It is your choice. You can either choose to beg and save your vanity, or you can keep your immature little pedantic whims and follow the path of pride."

Erasmus released the invisible bonds from Harry and stepped away.

Harry couldn't believe it. The old thing wanted him to beg. It just wasn't right, but what choice did he have? At the rate he was going, being abandoned by Snape, left without any means to fend for himself, he was plainly sunk.

Harry gritted his teeth and crawled to the floor at Erasmus' feet. "I beg you to heal me, Master." Inside his head, Harry was cursing Erasmus to oblivion, at this point, not caring if the 'old fart vampire' read his thoughts.

Erasmus looked at Harry rather amused. "So, little lion is full of pride, even when bowing to another. Most interesting. Your spirit is not easily broken. 'Tis a shame that you are so weak!"

Harry looked up Erasmus. "Well, it's not exactly as if it's my fault…sir." Harry spat.

Erasmus grabbed Harry by the arm and lifted him back up on the couch. "Now the question is, Lion. Shall I simply fix you, or shall I get rid of that infernal weakness?" He paced back and forth across the room for a moment…chuckling to himself. For the most part, trying to figure out which path would irritate Severus most.

Finally, he knew the answer. Before Harry could have a chance to react, Erasmus was upon him, his fangs buried deep into the side of Harry's neck. Harry cried out in pain; trying to throw the vampire off, but nothing could dislodge the vampire. Finally, Harry felt his life draining out of him…perhaps forever, and slumped against the couch.

* * *

Draco slowly lifted himself from the sofa, trying to figure out where he was. Snape apparently was off somewhere, but where, Draco couldn't fathom. He got up from the sofa and walked out of the study. Apparently, this was Severus' home. Somehow over the years, Draco had imagined Severus to live in a crusty little dwelling filled with various potions ingredients. He never expected an opulent manor worthy of an ancient pureblood dynasty.

Once he reached the hall, he simply found himself staring down a long corridor.

Not knowing what to do, Draco stepped out of the study and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Professor Snape!" Unfortunately, Draco had not known how loud his voice could be and heard glass break. He turned around and saw that by merely yelling, he had shattered all the glass in the windows of the study.

He heard footsteps falling in quick succession.

"Draco? Are you alright?" Severus asked from the opposite end of the hall.

"I just didn't know where I was, or where you were…I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

"Realize what, Draco?"

Draco turned and pointed to the study. Severus peeked his head in and groaned.

"Draco, promise me. You will never yell like that again unless I tell you. I do not think that I could take the strain." Severus promptly slapped his hand against his head.

"Well, being that dramatic is a little overdoing it, isn't it sir?" Draco asked facetiously.

Snape glared at Draco. "Do you even have an inkling as to why you are here?"

Draco smirked. "I imagine that you thought that we should get to know each other, not that it will make any difference."

Snape growled. "Draco, I am becoming quite tired of this game. I am trying to give you what you need for once in your life. I've apologized. I can arrange to have you taken back to Malfoy Manor, you know? Or would you rather a counseling session with the Dark Lord? Do not be so puffed up yet about your powers, you barely know how to use them. Believe it or not, Draco, you are not invincible. The Dark Lord could still kill you."

Draco opened his eyes wide…for the first time in fear.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "Draco, you might have power, you might enjoy testing your limits. But I suggest that you curtail this behavior at once. I will not tolerate it in my house. You have free reign of the manor, minus a few rooms which you will not be able to open. I suggest you take some time and ponder your situation. You get one last chance. You push this one in my face, and you can consider any chance at a home a lost cause."

Snape stormed away from Draco and down the hall.

Draco shook his head. What was he going to do? He didn't even bloody know where he was? He did the only thing he could; he turned and walked down the hall in the direction that Snape had gone. Perhaps it was time to swallow his pride. It wasn't like he had any other choice. At least with Snape, he would not be the subject of abuse.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR, I am merely treading.

A/N: Just wanting everyone to know that there is a possibility that there might be a two-week break before the next update. I have finals the week of the 13th, so I may not be able to update until after finals.

* * *

Harry woke feeling dreadful. That was the only way to describe it. The master vampire had not killed him, apparently, but he had not changed him like he had changed Snape and Draco. The real question was, why?

Harry rolled over to his side and groaned. Never in his life had he felt this bad…at least not that he could remember. Suddenly, he noticed the door opening to Severus' bedroom.

"Ahhh, I see that you are finally awake, young Lion. You gave me an unexpected fright."

Harry gingerly sat up in bed. "What do you mean?"

"Never have I come across one with a life force as strong as yours. I try to give you my gift, and you body rejects it completely. I simply don't know what to make of it."

"How long have I been out?" Harry asked as he tried to scrub the tiredness out of his eyes.

"Not long…only about three days."

"Three days! What about my classes?"

Erasmus walked over and mussed Harry's hair. "Do not fret about your classes. The other professors have been told that you have contracted a very contagious illness. You have been handing in your homework everyday since you've been here, as I have offered myself to take care and sterilize all of your assignments, as I am the Acting Potion's Master."

Harry was completely confused. "Sir, how can I hand in my assignments when I have been, Completely Bloody Incapacitated!"

Erasmus smiled in an odd way, and Harry couldn't help but hope that the old vampire's stay would not be a long one.

"Lion, how easily you forget. I can enter your brain at will. I simply did your assignments for you, using your language, as it were." The old vampire made the motion for Harry not to say anything, and Harry was a bit perturbed that the vampire thought he might actually thank him for doing his assignments.

"Your little friends have been most generous. The bushy haired little girl always asks about you and several others have been sending candy." Harry looked around the room, raising his eyebrow as he noticed that no candy seemed to be in sight.

"I must confess I have a bit of a sweet tooth. When you are feeling better, I promise to replace it."

Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You still haven't told me what happened. Why did my body reject your blood?"

Erasmus looked most serious. "It is a good thing that I am adept at creating blood replenishing potions. You, dear boy, appear to have mutated your blood line. It is almost as if your body views blood from another vampire as a threat, so it completely destroys it. It is almost as if you have created a systematic defense mechanism that is so far advanced, that your blood will not accept a transfusion of any sort. You, Harry Potter, are an enigma."

* * *

Draco thumbed through a book in the library, completely bored. Severus was tending to whatever it was that he did when at home, and Draco did not want to bother him. After yesterday, things had been more than strained, and Draco knew that he had himself to blame. Unfortunately, he had no idea how to fix things.

He wasn't so much as mad at his father any longer, but he still felt hurt and abandoned. It was strange to think that he really wasn't a Malfoy at all, but a Snape. Everything he had been taught about appearance and decorum seemed so pointless now. He didn't even have an inkling as to how things were done in the Snape household, and he didn't feel up to asking Severus.

He didn't even bother to ask his father about feeding, even though he discovered that he was hungry upon waking. He figured that when Severus was ready, he would provide what he needed. Right now, it seemed best not to bother the man.

He could only imagine how much he had truly managed to hurt his father, but the thought that the man actually cared about him was something completely foreign. He wished that everything would just be alright, but that was a child's fantasy.

Draco was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that Severus had entered the library and had been calling to him for the last few moments.

"Draco!" Draco jumped and the book fell to the floor.

"Sorry, Severus. I didn't know you were there."

"Apparently, so. I have been calling you for the last five minutes. I suggest that you keep your guard about you at all times. While there are wards in place for protection, nothing is infallible."

Draco twitched as if hit. "Sorry, sir."

Severus looked at his son. Maybe he was being too hard on the boy, after all, his life had not been easy.

"Draco, I know that this has not been the easiest situation for you. And perhaps it was wrong of me to lose my temper yesterday. I would like to start again."

Draco looked at Severus and swallowed. After a moment, he nodded.

"Well then, I need to work a bit longer this afternoon, but would you like to explore the surrounding grounds? I believe that there is much for you to find out in the gardens. I will call you when I am finished. After, perhaps we can travel to town and gather some supplies."

Draco couldn't help himself. It was almost as if everything he had always wished for was beginning to make an appearance. "Alright, Father."

Severus nodded at his son and quickly left the room, not wanting to reveal his happiness or the hard won tears of joy.

* * *

Harry could not believe it. Why did he have to be so bloody lucky? Why couldn't have he just died when he tried to kill himself. Death seemed so much easier.

He wondered how the Weasley's were getting on. After Ginny's death, Harry hadn't seen or heard from any of the Weasley clan. But he supposed that it would take time. He still blamed himself for not protecting Ginny, even though it was Malfoy's fault. But Snape had to play savior, and screw up his life more than before.

The only thought that seemed to comfort him was that Draco was for once feeling alone. It was about time that the arrogant git received a bit of his own medicine. He was astonished. Draco could never see how lucky he was. Yeah, okay, he had to live with the Malfoy's. But Harry had to put up with the Dursley's, somehow, that seemed to make things a bit even.

But unlike Harry, Draco found out that he still had a father, one who actually cared about him. And that, to Harry, was pretty much unforgivable. Ron had been guilty of the same thing. Harry would have given his eye teeth for parents that were around to care for him as much as the Weasley's cared for Ron. Maybe Ginny's death would change him; make him happy for what he has, and not what he sees everyone else as having.

Erasmus walked back into the room and disturbed Harry from his thoughts.

"Little Lion? Here, take this. Until I figure out what to do about your condition, you had better continue taking the potion for sunlight. We don't want you becoming a crispy critter again, now do we?"

Harry gritted his teeth. "No, sir."


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Please JKR, make me an heir. I want to own Snape. Pretty please? No. Oh well, guess it's back to fan fic for me. 

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I know I said that I might not update before finals, but here it is. A bit longer too- aren't you proud? Enjoy.

* * *

Draco sat alone in the library. It had become his private hiding place; the place where he didn't have to be himself. He glanced around the lofty room as he had many times before over the last few days. It was like nothing Draco had ever seen. IN fact, the Snape library easily was larger than both the library at Hogwarts and the Malfoy family library put together. The books were positively ancient, and some, were in languages that Draco had no hope of remotely being able to understand. 

He found himself a bit amused. It was amazing that he could actually now understand what drew Granger to spending inordinate amounts of time in the library. In fact, it was a bit frightening that he understood Granger at all.

He shed his mind of those thoughts and turned to look at his father's desk. The massive thing was both beautiful and grotesque; fanged demons carved into the legs glaring lustfully at virginal maidens with long flowing hair. Draco couldn't bring himself to get close to the desk. It disturbed him, to be perfectly honest. Of course the desk could not help what was currently strewn across the top of itself, but that did nothing to ease his mind about the thing.

Draco had never seen dark arts artifacts strewn so carelessly in his life. In the Malfoy home, everything was always hidden away for none to see. Here, Severus seemed to not care about who saw what he owned. But somehow, that seemed completely unlike the man he knew. He would have to remember to talk to Severus about it later.

* * *

Severus idly stared into the fire in his bedroom. He was tired; tired of teaching, tired of dealing with the stress of the Dark Lord, tired of dealing with Erasmus. While somewhere in the old vampire's bones, Severus suspected there lie a heart of gold, getting to that heart was another experience entirely. This wasn't the first time that he had kept himself awake for days trying to understand the old vampire.

At first, Severus had damned the vampire for simply giving him back his life and then turning his back, but over time, Severus managed to find out that Erasmus tended to do such things on purpose. Not to be overtly cruel, but rather, in his own twisted ideology, Erasmus thought that by leaving his "children" alone that they would eventually come back to him. To him, if his children came back, it was a sign that he had won them over, and that, more than anything else was what Erasmus desired. Family.

Unfortunately, the old vampire had no idea how to deal with a family. Part of him wished the old vampire would simply leave him alone, while the childlike part of him hungered for the companionship that he truly missed from his own father. But Erasmus would never be the father that Severus needed. Erasmus simply just did not understand human relationships. In fact, Severus wondered if the man had ever been human to begin with.

Severus ran his hands through his hair and sighed. Not that he was much better of a father figure himself. He could tell that Draco needed something from him; something that would make the boy feel safe and loved, but Severus had no idea how to provide it. Let alone what it was that the boy really wanted. Did he want a father, or did he simply want a mentor? Of course, Erasmus' dealings with Draco had complicated matters needlessly. The elder vampire was trying to help in his own way, Severus supposed, but par for the course, his help was nothing but blundering.

He wanted more than anything for Draco to accept him, fully. He wanted to be the father that the boy needed more than anything, but Draco seemed to be too unstable. The boy really didn't know what he wanted. And what truly worried him was that Draco had spent every waking minute of his stay in the library, away from anyone, and more importantly, away from himself. 

It was time to get his son out of his shell. While the Snape customs were a bit different than the Malfoy's, Draco certainly had no reason to not be proud of who he was.

Severus got up from his bed and strode out of his rooms. His son was going to see some sunshine.

* * *

Draco sat fascinated, looking at a vampire picture book. He supposed that it was supposed to be some sort of historical text, but the pictures were amazing. He had almost dropped the book once he had found Erasmus' picture, but quickly caught hold of himself. Suddenly, the book was snatched from his hands.

"Hey! I was reading that!" Draco yelled.

Severus raised an amused eyebrow. "While I am most certain that Erasmus would be overjoyed that you are admiring him in a stuffy old book, a boy your age needs to get out more. You are turning into a bookworm, and I simply will not tolerate it." 

Draco could hardly believe it. He wasn't sure if Severus were joking, or if he were his usual serious self. "What do you mean, sir?"

Severus shook his head. "Draco, no self respecting young man would purposefully spend 3 days in a library, doing nothing else. I fully expected you to explore your new home, but somehow, I have the feeling that you have barely traveled outside of these rooms, except for the short moments during meals or when we last left the manor. Enough is enough. You are not going to spend the duration of your stay holed up in this blasted library." 

Draco rolled his eyes, and then remembered the question that he had been dying to ask his father. "I'll do as I like. Besides, it would do me good to learn about my kind, correct? At any rate, I have an important question."

Severus motioned for the boy to continue.

"Why is it, that when I lived at the Malfoy residence, all dark arts materials were stored away, out of sight? And yet, when I look over to that desk, there are dark objects spread all over that desk. Why is that?"

"Most observant, Draco. The truth is that they are hidden. This room, like all rooms in Snape Manor, hides objects that truly belong to the house from those who do not carry the blood of the family. Even if the ministry would to storm Snape Manor, they would see nothing on that desk but stacks of old newspapers. When Snape Manor was constructed, my ancestor mixed his blood into the very foundation of the house. So this house is not protected by wards, which can be easily tricked. It is protected with the darkest form of blood magic."

Draco looked at his father in shock. Even Lucius Malfoy tended to steer away from blood magic, saying that it drew too many dark elements. He found a new respect for his father. At Hogwarts, Severus Snape may be the feared potions master, but that was nothing. He was descended from a line of blood magicians, and that, was something that the wizarding world feared perhaps more than a multitude of dark lords. Blood magicians did not necessarily have to abide by wizarding law; they could change it with a drop of blood.

* * *

Erasmus smiled down at the sleeping lion. Yes, tomorrow would be a good day for re-integration. The boy, while still quite perturbed at him, was now feeling rather well. It seemed that no harm had been done, and all for the better.Erasmus gently traced his finger over Harry's scar, sending a soothing energy into it. The boy child stirred and woke gently. 

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

Erasmus smiled a toothy grin at Harry. "Time for breakfast. Come, you can go back to classes today."

Harry actually smiled. The first smile he'd managed in several days. He grabbed the bloodstone from Erasmus' hands and fed quickly. Then ran to the bathroom to get ready for classes. On his way out, Erasmus gave him an almost knowing smile.

* * *

Harry waved to Hermione from the doorway of the Great Hall and ran over to the Gryffindor table."Hermione! Thanks for bringing me my assignments." 

Hermione smiled. "Anytime, Harry." She bent close and whispered into his ear. "Though later you will have to explain how a vampire can contract an infectious disease." She sat back up and grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Harry smiled back at her uneasily. Oh yes, today was going to be interesting.

* * *

Harry walked into the potions classroom, almost expecting Snape to come billowing in behind him, but there was no Snape. It felt strange. 

Harry walked over, sat down with Hermione, and waited for Erasmus to enter. The vampire walked into the room gracefully, almost as if gliding over the surface of the floor.

"Now my children, we are going to have a good lesson, yes? No exploding cauldrons, eh Neville?"

Harry could hardly believe the difference. Erasmus was joking with Neville, not berating him.

"Today, I think we will learn how to create blood replenishing potion. Madam Pomfrey could use a bit more in her supply closet."

Seamus muttered under his breath- "You wouldn't happen to have your own interest would you, sir?"

Harry froze, hoping that Seamus would make it out of class alive. The old vampire simply walked over to Seamus' table and grinned, letting his fangs descend.

"I'll have you know, Mr. Finnegan, that vampires have no use of blood replenishing potion. Otherwise, we would never have to drink blood, now would we? Now, it would come in handy for making some prime ripe donors, care to volunteer Mr. Finnegan?"

Seamus quaked in his shoes. "No, sir."

Erasmus smiled triumphantly. "Just as I thought. Gryffindor chicken." He began to laugh manically.

Harry quickly coughed. "Sir, weren't you about to write the potion on the board for us?"

Erasmus clucked. "Mr. Potter, this is the first time you are in my class and you are reminding me what I was about to do? Severus never told me that you had the power to read minds."

Harry immediately fell into a state of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sir."

Erasmus laughed. "You see, children. This is why I love to teach the young. You are so fresh, so pure…so delicious. Too bad the headmaster would kick me out if I grabbed a quick sample. Ah well, one cannot have everything."

With a wave of his hand, Erasmus placed the directions on the board. Harry began his potion, but could not help but wonder how Snape could end up so grouchy with a "father vampire" like Erasmus. True, his sense of humor was a bit scary, but it was there. Snape, however, was a greasy git. He had abandoned him, like the rest. At least he almost knew what to expect from Erasmus. He expected to be left alone, and then at some point have the old vampire fall back into his life, convenient or not. Maybe it was a sense of stability after all. Of course, maybe Erasmus was just fattening him up for slaughter.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Just wanted to thank everyone for being patient. Once finals were over, I had a bit of writer's block with this story, but yay my muse is back!

Disclaimer: HpNot Mine, Me Broke.

* * *

Hermione wandered through the halls, wishing to herself that Ginny was still alive. It had been Ginny that could always be persuaded to help in the research of all of the strange little tasks that they had been involved in ever since they got to Hogwart's. Ginny would have been more than happy to help Hermione research vampires, but she knew that eventually she would have to get used to life without Ginny. She couldn't fathom how horrid the Weasleys felt.

Once she reached Gryffindor tower, Hermione calmly said the password to the Fat Lady who silently swung to the side to let her enter. Sadly enough, the common room itself seemed to mirror the misery that Hermione felt. Things just hadn't been the same without Ginny. Although she wasn't a member of the so-called "Golden Trio", Ginny had her rightful place in all their lives. To think, Ron and Harry would have never seen the interior of the Slytherin common room second year if Ginny hadn't been around. True, the poor girl had been kidnapped by Voldemort's diary, but her presence had made things interesting.

Somehow, Hermione knew that losing Ginny had been worse on Harry than on any other death. Cedric had sadly only been the beginning. And adding Sirius on top of that, compounded with that awful Umbridge woman, it was no wonder that Harry cracked under pressure. And to think, of them all it had been Professor Snape to find and save Harry, albeit unusually. For the first time, Hermione thought that she may understand the Potion's master a bit. He cared very deeply for his students, in his own way, and those who could not see that were blinded by his hardened shell.

Hermione settled her thoughts back on the task at hand. Without Ginny's help, she would have to settle with reading through the books on vampires that she had already checked out of the library herself. The only problem with those books was that like muggle books, Hermione wasn't sure what to believe, and since Harry didn't appear to know anything, asking him would be practically pointless. It really would have been nice to have another brain to bounce ideas off of.

After a moment, she had a brilliant idea. Why not ask Professor Erasmus himself? Since he was the one to come up with this "wonderful" plan that Harry was under the effects of some sort of highly contagious disease, then he had to know what truly was going on with Harry.

Hermione smiled smugly as she left her room and sauntered off towards the dungeons to what had previously been Professor Snape's chambers.

* * *

Severus sat, staring at the almost perfect image of his lost love. It was hard to believe that Draco, having been partly his, had completely sidestepped the Snape features and gained only the pale features of Elizabeth. Draco must have sensed Severus staring because he looked up suddenly, his lips trying to fight a small smile.

"Did you need something, Father?" The boy asked, almost timidly.

Severus shook his head. "No, Draco. I was simply marveling the extent that you look like your mother. I truly wish that she could have met you."

Draco nodded. "I've been thinking…"

Severus looked at Draco questioningly. "About what, Draco?"

Draco sighed, almost as if to gain his nerve. "I wanted to apologize for my previous actions. I know now that I may have been a bit unfair to you. I still am not particularly overjoyed at the prospect that you thought of Potter before you thought of me, but that is something that I cannot change. I suppose the important thing is that you are trying now…."

Severus nodded. "Draco, no one is perfect. Had I been fully aware of everything that went on at Malfoy Manor, I never would have left you there for so long. I don't know how to get you to believe that, but I imagine that your belief isn't the biggest issue at the moment. All parents wish that they never made mistakes, and this situation, while there was a bit of interference that complicated matters, could have been handled a bit differently. For that Draco, I do apologize."

Draco seemed to mull things over for a moment. "There is part of me that desires to punish you for the injustices you've caused me; part of me that wishes for your pain. But, in all truth, punishment never produces the desired result. I don't know if what Erasmus has given me can be considered an amazing gift, or a difficult curse. My mind is so split, that at times, I believe that it will split down the middle and leave me an imbecile."

Severus sat up in his chair and leaned forward. "Draco, the only advice that I can give to you is this: it is both. At times, I have been truly thankful that I am not entirely human, and others, it has made me a very lonesome man. Your mother somehow saw through all of that, and rather than thinking me a demon of the night, she embraced me, never fearing. I have never met another like her, and I doubt if I ever will again. To her, nothing that I had done wrong mattered. All she cared about was my happiness. I suppose that is one of the greatest reasons that I gave you away."

Draco stared his father dead in the eye. "I don't understand."

Severus sighed. "The blundering fool that I was, I blamed you, a small child, for your mother's death. I kept telling myself that if it hadn't been for you, she would still be with me. Over the years, I have realized that she wanted you just as much as I did. And sometimes, even in the wizarding world, things happen beyond ones control…I did want you to have a good life, Draco. I simply feared that because of my resentment, you would be better served elsewhere. I apologize for that grave miscalculation."

"If you had it all to do over again, what would you do?" Draco asked, trying to still the hurt from his voice.

Severus smiled. "I would change nothing."

* * *

Erasmus sat in his boy's chambers and silently sharpened his claws against an old stone that he had found on the Potion Master's desk.

The teaching of the young- who would have ever thought him capable? It was only a mere 700 years ago that he aided an army of conquering soldiers in burning a village in Bavaria to the ground. Sometimes at night, he could still hear the pitiful cries of the children. Their agonizing screams used to fill him with a sense of amusement. But now, after encountering so many that seemed more than just merely small faces, the cries could not be stifled. Almost as if they were coming back to haunt him, to make him pay for his past transgressions. He supposed that he had never been the epitome of good, but he certainly was not truly evil. At least not that he was aware of.

There was a time when he relished in the amount of blood he could spill in a given day. At times, he missed those days. He missed the thrill of it. The thrill of the hunt. But, as with the passage of time, he imagined that if he tried to do those things now, he would be sorely disappointed. One's memories always seemed to be better than the actual experience. Just as he was about to lay the stone back down on Severus' desk, a knock sounded at the door. Erasmus sniffed at the air. Definitely feminine, pure, uncorrupt. What was a creature like that doing seeking out his rooms?

Erasmus crept across the room and slowly opened the door, grinning like a maniac; fangs extending over his lower lip.

Hermione took one look at Erasmus and tried to decide if she should save her skin and make a run for it.

"Can I help you, Miss…Granger I think it was?" Erasmus continued with the odd smile.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Yes, sir. I… well…."

"Spit it out child, I do not have eternity." Erasmus said facetiously.

"Sir, I… I wanted to know the truth about vampires."

Erasmus relaxed his smile into something altogether more pleasant. Thought for a moment, then stepped aside for her to enter.

"Welcome to my lair, Miss Granger."

Hermione took another breath, quickly sidestepped the vampire, and entered into his rooms. Erasmus slowly closed the door behind them, purposefully allowing the hinges to creak.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own HP- just caress it.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait- my computer caught a nasty cold- err virus. At any rate, I'm finally back up and running. Enjoy!

* * *

Hermione couldn't help but smile to herself. The vampire was a bit unnerving yes, but his tendency to put on a show was really very amusing. 

"Sir, have you always been like this?" She asked, hoping for an honest answer from the vampire.

"Like what, dear girl?" Erasmus asked with the same amount of cunning.

Hermione smiled at the vampire. "Always putting on a show, trying to establish a bit of fear that eventually makes you completely cuddly?"

Erasmus began to choke. Never in his years had anyone accused him of such a thing. "Cuddly? You think me cuddly?" He exclaimed, spraying spittle all over Hermione's face. "Those who fought in the Great Vampire wars of 1375 would have loved to hear this. A young pipsqueak of a mortal accusing me of being cuddly?"

Somehow, the vampire didn't seem enraged, but rather, a fright amused.

"Sir, you remind me of an overgrown teddy bear with wings." Hermione could hardly curtail her laughter.

Erasmus tried to glare at her, but found himself falling into a fit of giggles. He shook a finger at Hermione accusingly. "Don't you dare let the others know. How else would I keep control of my classes?"

Hermione laughed a bit more, finding it astounding that this master vampire had been the one who was Professor Snape's mentor. "Sir, can I ask you a question?"

Erasmus composed himself. "And what is that, dear girl?"

"What really happened to Harry? Seriously, the story of a contagious virus was a bit much. Really sir, everyone knows that a virus does not live on dead flesh."

Erasmus laughed at the girl's cheek. "Ahh, but you've forgotten a very important piece of information, Miss Smarty-Pants! We are not dead, merely…undead."

Hermione looked at Erasmus with a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry sir, I really don't follow."

Erasmus threw himself down onto the sofa beside the young girl and waved his hand over the table. A large box of chocolates appeared in front of him. He deftly tore open the lid and popped a chocolate into his mouth.

"Sir! I thought vampires couldn't eat!"

Erasmus rolled his eyes, and motioned for Hermione to partake in the chocolates. "Partly, it depends upon ones line. But truly, we can do whatever we like. Just like magic, you simply need to know the proper spell. I can eat chocolate because I know the spell to convert it into a substance that my body will digest, while still getting the taste of the chocolate. Of course, you do realize that by me telling you all of our secrets, I'm going to have to kill you."

Hermione looked at the vampire wide eyed.

* * *

Harry stalked back and forth across the floor of his room. He needed a plan. He was tired of doing what everyone wanted him to do; tired of being a pawn. Maybe he should just let Voldemort have them all; it was their expectations that cost him his childhood. There was part of him that simply wanted to run away. The only thing that kept him from doing so would be the aftermath of being labeled a coward. 

At times he surprised himself. Perhaps this was what the sorting hat had meant when it said that he would have done well in Slytherin. He was tired of being the so-called "golden boy"; tired of being everyone's hero- of which the entire wizarding world always felt free to criticize. But he didn't want anyone to tell him what to do, and Voldemort was much worse than Dumbledore or the Ministry.

Like it or not, he was stuck. Suicide definitely was now out of the question…that is unless he could manage to enrage Erasmus enough to get rid of him. The question was…how. While Erasmus seemed to have a short temper, Harry had never seen the elder vampire truly hurt anyone. Not that Harry thought him innocent, quite the contrary. The only thing that Harry knew for sure was that if he could manage to enrage Erasmus enough to truly hurt him, then, maybe, he could die.

Harry thought for a moment and stopped his pacing. How would that leave Hermione? If he died before Voldemort was vanquished, Hermione would at best die, but would probably endure torture and worse. He couldn't leave Hermione alone. She had never caused his problems.

She might have been bossy, but she only tried to help. Perhaps, when all of this mess was over, he would find his own place somewhere and only let Hermione know where he had gone. She was truly the only one he could trust.

* * *

Draco smiled as he woke. Then realized what he was doing and tried to force his face into its classic sneer. But for the life of him, he couldn't stop smiling. 

To think, Draco Mal- err Snape, waking up smiling. He never thought he would ever have this problem. But then, things had been very strange as of late. And maybe, just maybe, it was nice to know that his father did truly care, and for all his faults, he would never change a thing.

That gave Draco every feeling of hope he could ever wish for. He was wanted. He was loved. And best of all, he never had to set foot back in Malfoy Manor. The only regret that he had was that he really wished he could retrieve the things that the Malfoy's would allow him to take. He doubted that they would really care, but he wanted at least some things from his childhood.

The only way to solve this was to go see if his father had woken for the day. If he had not, it was time he woke. There was much to do today.

After Draco finished his bath and dressed, he walked along the hall until he found his father's room. Carefully, so as to not make a sound, he pressed his ear to the door and listened. Suddenly, the sound of a rather loud snore broke the quiet and made Draco jump about a foot in the air. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself…Snape snored.

If only Potter was here to witness this. Wait a minute, he thought to himself, what do I care what Potter thinks? I must be losing my mind.

Draco slowly turned the knob of the door and entered his father's domain. Draco crept into the room- silently thanking his ancestors for making the floors from stone rather than wood. He was so concerned with creeping, that he neglected to watch where he was going and promptly tripped over one of his father's slippers and slammed his forehead into his father's chest.

Severus jumped and grabbed for his wand, then suddenly realizing the figure laughing like an idiot while lying on top of him was his own son.

"What is the meaning of this, Draco?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.

Draco cackled harder. "Well, sir." He laughed a bit more. "I was coming to wake you, but rather than how in intended, I tripped over something on the floor. Are you alright?"

Severus shook his head. "Who would have ever thought that my son could be so clumsy? Yes, you dolt. I am perfectly fine, minus the rude awakening. And yourself?"

Draco simply laughed and fell to the floor. Severus had to laugh despite appearances. Only his son could have managed something this ridiculous. And silently, Severus hoped that his son would never find out how clumsy he had been growing up.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: HP- JKR, Erasmus- me.

A/N: It took me a bit to get this chapter out, but I'm finally happy with it. Enjoy! R & R!

* * *

Hermione looked into the eyes of the master vampire, hoping that he was truly joking. What she found mirrored in his eyes was not what she expected, but something that disturbed her nonetheless. She took a moment and cleared her throat. 

"Surely you jest, sir?" She asked hopefully.

Erasmus smiled in a maniacal manner, as if amused, and yet a bit crazed. "Miss Granger, surely you are not imbecilic enough that you think me tame?" He asked in a voice that was practically dripping with glee.

Hermione had had enough. She was getting tired of being played with. She was beginning to anger. "Do you always play with your food?" She asked with a sharp tongue.

Erasmus looked at her, and looked at the anger he had aroused within her, and could not help himself. His body erupted in a mass of giggles. "Young lady! If you continue to have this much wit and determination, I may have to make you part of my line so that you could amuse me for eternity."

Hermione stood and placed her hands on her hips, she was really angry now. "Har, har. You find this so funny don't you? The puny mortal amuses you? What gives you the right to change anyone's life as you see fit? What if I didn't want to be a vampire?"

"But my dear, that is usually the way it goes. Do you really think that most would choose to become one of us? The ones that wish for it tend to have desires that are not fit for immortality. Your Voldemort for instance. If he became immortal, surely you can see the mess of things that would create."

"Of course I can, but that still doesn't give you the right, older than the hills or not. Just because you enjoy being a vampire does not mean that everyone else will!"

Erasmus laughed again. "But my dear, what you don't realize is that sometimes, to get what you truly want out of life, you have to accept the side effects. Do you really think that Severus wanted to become a vampire?"

Hermione sat down in a huff. "I suppose I never thought about it."

"While he tries to fight it, deep inside the reason that he can deal with the little side effect of vampirism is that he gets something much more rewarding because of what he is. He would never have had a family to count on if he had never been crossed. Now I admit that I am an old fool who should probably stick to my own business, but those of my line are how you say, my children of sorts. Think of me as an overgrown Jewish mother who just happens to have a penchant for blood pudding!"

"Sir, I truly think that you are insane." Hermione said as she slumped back into the back of the sofa.

Erasmus smiled, liking the fact that she finally understood him after all. "But it is that part of it all that I happen to enjoy, Miss Granger."

Hermione stared at him for a moment. Suddenly realizing that Erasmus wasn't insane after all, but dread filled her as her mind began to grasp what was really going on. "But sir, people who are truly insane are not aware that they are insane."

Erasmus smiled. "Exactly."

Hermione jerked to a stiff sitting position on the sofa. "Then why do you want people to believe you are insane?"

"Because, my dear girl, it simply makes things so much easier. You would be surprised at the things that people will do for you simply with the threat of an implied fear. It is my best talent, I'm afraid…But that leaves me with quite a problem, dearie. Although you fear me, it does not keep you from acting on your own convictions. It has been a long time since I have met up with one such as you. You would make a fine vampire hunter, Miss Granger."

Hermione looked at the old vampire in shock. What motive did he have? He was truly the oddest creature she had ever come across. "Sir, why are you giving me advice towards a profession that hunts your own kind?"

Erasmus smiled a knowing smile. "Isn't the nature of war truly knowing one's enemies? I did not say that you were going to become a vampire hunter, simply that you have the fortitude for the job, as well as the strength and fortitude for numerous professions. If I didn't know better, I would say that because of your ability to keep a cool head, you would make a fine assassin."

"Sir, I honestly have no idea where this conversation is going, but I know one thing, you have very conveniently avoided the subject that I truly came to talk to you about."

Erasmus smiled. "You know, in the courts of the old country, they called me 'the great manipulator'."

"Sir, that I believe with every fiber of my being. Now, back to the original subject. Why was Harry 'sick'?"

Erasmus rubbed his hands together. "I will only tell you if you perform a blood oath with me. I cannot give you this much information without a bit of security. Once you have been bound by this oath, if you go against it, I will know, and your blood will begin to boil. Only you can make the choice to go against the oath. It is the way this type of magic operates. Potions and other devices will not work against it."

Hermione thought for a moment. Did she trust the vampire enough to shed blood in front of him? And did it really matter so much what happened to Harry except that he was now okay?

"What if I say no?" She asked tentatively.

"Nothing, except that you will not receive the information you seek, and we sit here and eat chocolate bonbons."

Hermione had to laugh. "I believe I will try to get the information out of Harry first. Somehow, having a blood oath with you is very unnerving."

Erasmus was greatly amused. "You cannot blame me for trying; at least now I know how far you are willing to go."

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing." Erasmus smiled internally that he now knew Hermione Granger better than she probably knew herself.

* * *

"Draco?" Severus asked from the doorway to his son's room. 

Draco looked up from the clothing he was carefully folding. "Yes, father."

"Are you sure that you are alright with returning to Hogwarts this soon?"

Draco smiled at his father. He knew now that it didn't matter where they were, really. His father had proven to him that he was ready to make a go of things, and Draco knew that eventually his father had to go back to take care of Potter anyways, having been Potter's sire. "Yes, father. I think it will be alright."

"If at any time you feel that you need some time alone with me, please ask. I am sure that we can arrange something. Finish that, and we will apparate to Hogwarts. I would prefer to keep Erasmus from teaching as many classes as humanly possible. I fear to think what has become of my classroom."

Draco shook his head. His father truly would never change.

* * *

After Hermione left Snape's quarters, she really felt better. Erasmus wasn't evil, at least as far as she could tell. Mostly, he was just odd. Maybe he could be the one that would help Harry win the war. Something told her that it wasn't just the threat of Voldemort that made this war so crucial. A vampire like Erasmus could dispatch Voldemort in the blink of an eye. No, something else was going on that was much more dangerous. And apparently, so dangerous that it effected the vampires as well as the wizarding community. Somehow, Voldemort was connected, but he was not the power that Erasmus worried about. 

Otherwise, why would Erasmus pick now to come and help Snape, and do all the things that he had been doing. Nothing else made sense.

She would talk to Harry tomorrow. Her meeting with Erasmus had left her drained, almost as if he had fed on her, but she knew that he had never taken a drop of blood. But maybe, for a vampire of his age, he didn't always have to feed on blood. If she didn't know better, she would have to say that Erasmus had the innate ability to feed off her life force without even touching her.

It wasn't so much that the idea of such a thing scared her, but it would have been nice if he would have asked first. She might has actually said yes.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I have never used the last name Rowling, so I don't own Hp, or SS, or DM…it's not fair!

A/N: Well, as you can see, this story is moving right along. I would say that we are coming into the final section of this tale. In other words, there are still more chapters to come, but we are getting to the final stretch.

* * *

In some sense, Draco was sad to be leaving Snape Manor. Granted, when he had first arrived, he hated the place- simply because it belonged to his father. But after spending a bit of time there, he had come to think of it as home. And now, he had to go back to the place that had caused most of the messes in the first place.

Part of him did not fault Potter. It wasn't like the kid had ever known the security of a wizarding family, just ignorant muggles. So, it was hard to place blame on the kid when he was never taught how to act properly. On the other hand, Potter had been at Hogwarts for the last 6 years, so he had had time to learn from others.

But Draco had to remind himself, Potter was a bloody Gryffindor after all.

In some sense, he still felt unease when he remembered that his father had crossed Potter first. Somehow, that in itself should not have made him feel slighted, but it always seemed that Potter got everything because he was "the Boy Who Refused to Die", while he was stuck having to take second best.

Draco looked around the room he had inhabited for the last month with a certain fondness. He really did hate to leave it behind.

Draco was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he never heard his father enter the room.

"Draco? Is everything alright?" Severus asked his son with concern.

Draco jumped at the sound of his father's voice. "Yes…I'm fine."

"Are you positive?"

"Yes, sir. I suppose that I just hate to leave."

Severus laughed. "And to think I always did everything I could to get out of this place. Draco, things will be different now. Besides, where do you think you will be spending the holidays?"

Draco smiled. "If that's the case, then I'm done here I think."

"Don't forget your cloak. I believe it has started to snow." Severus quietly walked out of the room.

* * *

Hermione stretched when she woke the following morning. Today, she would confront Harry. She had let him get by without answering questions for entirely too long.

After dressing, she slipping into the common room, hoping to find him there, but he was no where to be found. She then went to his dorm, to find the place deserted. Had she overslept by that much of a difference?

She turned to the clock on the mantle of the fireplace in the common room. 11:30! She had overslept by at least 2 hours. She ran down to the Great Hall as fast as her legs would carry her.

Once her eyes set upon Harry, she knew that she was in for it. The mischevious glint in his eye had finally returned, and for the time being at least, there was nothing that she could do about it.

She stealthly walked to the table and sat down beside her friend. "Hi Harry." She said quietly.

"Well, I never thought I would live to see the day that you would outsleep half the student body. Long night, Hermione?"

"Harry, don't be so droll. Besides, I spent the night entertaining that crazed acquaintance of yours."

Harry's eyes widened in shock. "You didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Spend time with Erasmus unaccompanied. He isn't someone you want to mess around with, Hermione."

"Harry, please. He was nothing but a gentleman. At least I don't think he did anything untoward. But I did feel rather tired after speaking with him."

"Hermione, do me a favor. Don't spend time with him alone. He's not right in the head, and well, he forcibly made Draco a vampire didn't he?"

"What?" Hermione gasped.

"Oh, um…forget I said it."

"Harold James Potter! I will not forget it. You've been keeping things from me!" Hermione grabbed Harry by the arm and drug him towards the Room of Requirement.

"What about lunch?" Harry asked exasperatedly.

"It serves you right to do without. You've got some things to answer for."

Harry knew his goose was cooked. It was all over now. He would be spending at least the better part of the day trapped in a room by his "entirely too curious for her own good" friend.

* * *

Draco walked seamlessly from the wall in his father's chambers. Being a vampire did have its advantages.

"Master Erasmus?" Severus called from behind his son.

Erasmus appeared from the bedchamber. "Ahh, my boy. You have finally returned. But alas, I do not think I am ready to give your classes back. It's been most fun."

Severus laughed. "Only you would find first year Gryffindors amuzing."

Erasmus returned the smile and then turned and set his eyes on Draco. "Are you ready to behave now?"

Draco glared at the elder vampire. "I believe that I accomplished what I needed to, nothing more."

Erasmus smiled gleefully. "Well then, I can feel comfortable giving Severus back his classes. My time will now be spent training you."

"Training me for what?" Draco asked cautiously.

"To rule."

* * *

'Hermione. How many times do I have to repeat myself? No, I don't know why whatever Erasmus was trying to do didn't work. I will probably have to ask Snape. No more, Hermione. I'm tired. I'm hungry, and if you don't want me taking a chunk out of your left side, I suggest you let me get something to eat."

Hermione would not have been disturbed, except for the fact that Harry's eyes were beginning to glow red.

"Alright, Harry. I'll stop. Just remember, I care, alright?"

"Hermione. Don't worry. After today, I don't think I would ever doubt your caring capability. Come on. I think I could eat a Hippogriff."

Hermione laughed and followed Harry to the Great Hall. Perhaps it didn't matter what sort of creature a teenage boy was. They all seemed to act the same.

* * *

Voldemort smiled at the injured vampire chained to the floor. It had taken some time to find one so weak, but it would have its purpose soon enough. Luckily, he was able to buy this rat of a vampire from its master for a reasonable price. The creature should feel honored. Becuase of it, the wizarding world was going to take on a new greatness. And to think, all he needed was the blood of a vampire taken forcefully, combined with a small quantity of unicorn blood and the hair from one lycanthrope, and he would achieve a status of immortality the modern wizarding world had never seen.

It was all so perfect, so despicable. For a small moment, he had felt a sense of fear when he learned that the boy was no longer human. But that passed rather quickly when he remembered the old archaic text that had been left in the rubble of his mother's home. Oh, yes. The line of Slytherin had its important skeletons.

Yes, he now had the ability to fight the Potter brat. If things went accordingly to plan, he would be ready with the coming of the next full moon. He knew that the transformation would be painful, but he was used to pain. Pain tended to make one clear. Pain tended to preserve.

Maybe he wouldn't have to kill the brat. It would be nice to have a pet around to lick his boots. And a mere boy would be so easy to break. Yes, the time for his power to rule the wizarding world was coming close. He could taste it.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: HP is not mine. It's all JKR's….yar.

A/N: Sorry it has taken me a bit to get this chapter out. The muse had left me, and I'm not sure about this chapter. But I think that things covered in it needed to be presented. Pray for my muse to return!

* * *

A few hours later…

The dark always seemed so peaceful, so cunning, almost like home to him. The shadows seemed to seep within his soul and flow out of his body- rejoining with the night. He felt perfect, and oh so powerful. Very slowly, he felt the muscles along his back ripple in excitement. Suddenly, in a shower of blood and power, his wings burst forth from his back, stretching to the limits of motion. It was wonderful.

Slowly he opened his eyes and gazed around the room from his vantage point on his throne. The shriveled body of the vampire that had been slain to make him what he was lay crumpled in the middle of the floor. Later, he would have his minions rip the body apart, vampire parts were worth much in Knockturn Alley.

The Potter boy would die, but not quickly. Oh no. His demise would occur as slowly as was possible. He would teach the "good" people of Britain to fear the Dark Lord.

Voldemort turned to look at himself in a mirror that hung on the wall of the great room. His features had changed ever so much. Gone was the image of the snake faced man, now, his features were twisted in the evil purity as was fitting his station. His long dark hair seemed to blow about his shoulders from power. His eyes, while still blazing red, seemed more feral. His nose had taken on a more humanoid form, but his ears were now pointed, like a bat. He smiled at his reflection; his grin showed a mouth full of sharp pointed teeth.

Oh yes, they had never seen anything like this. He could barely contain himself from tasting the fear of the surrounding mortals.

Suddenly, he sensed the heat from a mortal about to enter his domain. Silently, he watched as the tall man entered the room with his head bowed.

"Ahhh, Percy. Come to wish your master well?" The Dark Lord asked facetiously.

Theredhead dropped to one knee and bowed deeply. "Master. What would you wish of me?"

The Dark Lord smiled his horrid smile. "Look upon me, Percy. I will guarantee you have never seen the likes of me before."

The redhead slowly raised his head. After a moment, his expression changed to one of awe. "My Lord." He bowed again.

"Come now, Percy. Step closer… You once said that you would give me anything for power, did you not?"

Percy looked up at the Dark Lord. "Yes, I did, sire."

Voldemort smiled. "Good. Come closer." Percy did as his master asked. The Dark Lord grabbed the man by the shoulders and raised his head as if to strike. "I find myself a bit hungry, and you would make a proper snack indeed."

* * *

Harry smiled at the view of the night sky. Something told him that once again, the peace would soon be shattered. Hermione was a good friend, a bit overbearing at times, but a good friend nonetheless. He gazed at the moon and wondered what it was like for Lupin to run through the Forbidden Forest as a wolf. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He whipped around quickly and found himself face to face with the man who had abandoned him. His eyes snapped into focus. "What do you want?" Harry snarled.

Severus twitched his mouth. "I wanted to inform you that I have returned."

Harry backed away from the elder vampire. "Oh, so you think everything's going to be alright now, huh? You didn't think it important to tell me that you were leaving, you simply up and left me, not that I'm important anyway. So, get away from me. I don't need you. I never needed you. You should have let me die like I wanted."

Severus could hardly believe that his leaving had caused the boy this much distress, but his show is disrespect was not wanted, and not appreciated. "Why should I have let you do what I've wanted to do for a very long time? The choice was taken from me, just as it was taken from you. I dare you Harry Potter; I dare you to cross me. It seems that you forget how difficult I can be when I want to. The only thing I find myself facing is a sniveling childish brat who has no respect for anything!"

Harry glared at Snape. He wanted respect did he? "The only thing I ever wanted was for someone to care. That's it. You have no idea what I've gone through, and if you had even bothered to get to know me, you'd know that there is a big difference between being spoiled and being hurt. No, it didn't matter to you that your Master almost killed me while you were gone! Nothing ever matters to you when it comes to anyone besides Draco. To hell with you, Severus Snape. Maybe I can get Erasmus to finish the job and leave you all to suffer at the hands of Voldemort. See if I care. I hope you rot in hell!"

Harry ran away from the elder vampire and deep into the forbidden forest. Let him play with the perfect Draco. If Harry had anything to do with it, he would never see the wizarding world again.

* * *

Severus stared at the boy; watching him run across the grounds. Maybe, after some time, the boy would calm down and think logically. He needed to be taught discipline. But, Severus had Dumbledore to thank for much of the boy's impertinence.

But what has Erasmus done? Severus never imagined the elder vampire would ever try to deliberately hurt his charge. But still, something had happened. And apparently, the Potter boy had still not recovered from whatever it was. If the boy had recovered, the jibe would never have come out in anger. Erasmus hurt the boy more than in a physical manner. He had hurt the boy mentally… but how?

Severus walked back into the castle. He wasn't about to go traipsing around the grounds of Hogwart's at all hours of the night. He walked up to Dumbledore's office, informed the headmaster of the Potter boy's actions and told the headmaster that if he was needed he would be in his chambers. At least Dumbledore could possibly manage to get the boy back into the castle. For once, the Potter boy probably had no anger towards the headmaster for anything. If he got near Potter, he would probably try to kill him. The boy had no idea how much restraint he had shown. Severus even wondered if the boy at times had forgotten that his past too was not so rosy. Harry Potter wasn't the only killer at Hogwart's.

For now, he needed to get back to his chambers and try to figure out what sort of mess Erasmus had brought down upon them all.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own Hp, or PH, or HHP, or PPh or any other derivative you can think of.

A/N: Thanks to Emma Lipardi for making me get off my duff and finish this chapter! Enjoy!

* * *

Severus stalked into his rooms; his anger billowing about him like a large cape. If it wasn't for the fact that he was rather fond of the portrait guarding his rooms, he would have simply barged right through it. Cowering in front of his master be damned, Severus had had enough. It was time to have a chat with the esteemed Erasmus.

Severus walked through the opening as the portrait swung to let him inside, barely ducking his head in time to miss the bottom of the portrait. He would get to the bottom of this mess once and for all. Once he was in his rooms, he looked around. Erasmus was no where to be found. How intriguing…and rather droll.

"Master Erasmus!" He yelled, not caring if he hurt the elder vampire's ears or not. The elder vampire deserved a bit of discomfort for making such a mess of things. This would teach him to leave the elder vampire in charge. He never imagined that things would become worse than they already had been before he left.

After some loud bumps and crashes in the room opposite the door, the elder vampire stumbled into the sitting area. How Erasmus had managed to survive the centuries at times was news to Severus. The man simply was about as graceful as a bull in a china shop, except, of course, when the elder vampire really put on the charm. It was then that one had no choice but to bow down to the master vampire. But for the moment, Severus really didn't care. Erasmus had much to answer for.

"You rang, Severus?" Erasmus asked facetiously.

Severus could hardly hold himself in check. How could the elder vampire crack jokes at a time like this? Would there ever be a time when the old coot would take him seriously? Somehow, he managed to keep control of his blossoming temper, knowing that the elder vampire could easily cause him harm before he could even step forward.

"I want to know one thing, master, just one thing. Why did you try to kill the Potter boy?"

Erasmus scratched his chin for a moment, tapped his temple, then looked into Severus' eyes. "Why, Severus, I do not believe I ever tried to kill the Potter child. Where did you get your information?"

Severus counted to ten. "I was told of the incident by the Potter boy himself."

Erasmus seemed to be even more puzzled. "But Severus, I didn't try to kill him. I simply tried to give him my essence; give him my gift. But as it was, the boy was somehow...for lack of a better word, allergic to my blood."

Now it was Severus' turn to be puzzled. "How in Merlin's beard would he be allergic to your blood? That is preposterous!"

Erasmus tutted at Severus. "Ah, child. You forget...nothing is ever black and white. I gave the boy my blood, and he reacted violently to it. His body seeped blood for days… I cannot count the amount of quicksilver potion I have had to brew…It was almost as if his body was more advanced than my blood. I truly do not know the answer, Severus. I suspect that the only reason he became a vampire in the first place was that he truly was dying when you found him. What that boy is, I truly do not know. But I do know that he is not simply a vampire, otherwise, my blood would not have had such an effect on him."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Are you telling me that after all of these years you were actually wrong about something? I remember you telling me that there is nothing that will stop a vampire's blood from taking over a human system."

Erasmus laughed at Severus. "Severus, you are forgetting one very real fact, it seems that young Mr. Potter was never truly human to begin with. Or rather, he is somewhat human, but perhaps a subspecies; something that I have not seen in a long while."

Severus eyed his master with disdain. "And what is that, pray tell?"

"A true immortal."

* * *

Harry crept through the Forbidden forest, taking careful steps to avoid anyone noticing his tracks. All he could think of was that it was a shame that he did not know how to apparate yet. After a moment, he paused. Sometimes, even he couldn't believe how dense he was. He was now a vampire. To hell with wizarding law! Vampires can appear and disappear at will. Hopefully, there would be a way to luck into it.

Harry ran until he was completely out of breath. He finally stopped underneath a large oak tree that seemed as if it had lived in the forest for over a millennia. He looked around, and slumped down amidst the overgrown roots of the tree. It was now or never.

He closed his eyes and thought hard. "Take me away from here. Far away. Somewhere I can't be found." The forest seemed to still, but Harry kept his eyes closed. Suddenly, it was as if his body was simply pulled into a vortex. Suddenly, it felt as if his behind landed on a hard stone floor. Harry opened his eyes and looked around. The room was old, made completely of hard worn stone. The walls seemed to dance with layers upon layers of cobwebs.

He had no idea where he was. At least it had worked, but now, maybe he was in a bigger mess than he had ever anticipated. He got up from the floor and walked around the room, there was a large cobweb covered staircase in the center of the room, but beyond that, nothing. Harry turned and looked up to the top of the staircase. There, staring down at him from a portrait was the coldest set of eyes that Harry had ever seen. They seemed to pierce through him in an instant. It took him a moment, and suddenly, it dawned on him why the portrait seemed familiar. The face staring down at him was the face of Master Erasmus, when the elder vampire actually seemed young.

The portrait glared for a moment more, then simply readjusted itself inside the frame.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my home?" The portrait demanded.

Harry looked around, a trifle scared. "Um, sir, I know the real you."

The portrait sniffed the air haughtily. "The real me? I think for someone so young, you are quite foolish. I am simply a part of what you call "the real me." The part I wished to leave behind years ago. My body has not set foot inside these walls for over 400 years."

Harry started to sweat from the nervousness that began to fill his belly. "How do I get out of here?" He asked the portrait.

"Hmm, I've never faced that problem before…I suppose you will have to wait until my body returns."

Harry looked at the portrait in horror. "When will that be?"

The portrait began to laugh. "Why, my boy, it may be for an eternity."


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR. But I wish that she would give him to me for an early birthday gift, never mind that my birthday is in August.

A/N: Sorry about the long wait on this chapter. I had a lot of work to complete in my classes, and well, instead of working on my 25 page paper that is due in a week, I cranked out this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Harry stared at the portrait in disbelief. "What do you mean an eternity?" Harry looked around the cobweb infested room and felt like crying in desperation. "Besides, can't I just get out of here the way I came?" Harry asked hopefully. Not that Harry wanted to be found, but even though he had managed to get in a place where it would be difficult for anyone to locate him, he didn't foresee this sort of problem. Only he would manage to get himself stuck in a crumbling old…home, if one could call it that, in a room with an insane portrait. He could only hope that he could figure a way out of this mess before the damn thing drove him completely insane.

The portrait laughed at Harry. "Such a refreshing boy… No to answer your question, you cannot. I placed protections on my home many years ago. Those who enter cannot leave until I come to release them."

Harry snorted in frustration. "Great! That's just great! I'm going to starve to death in this bloody house trapped with a portrait that seems to think he has the right to irritate me!"

The portrait glared at Harry with glowing eyes. "You need to learn respect. Do you think that just because I'm in a portrait that I cannot hurt you? I am not just a portrait. I am a piece of my soul, kept until needed. I will never die, even if they find a way to destroy my body without first destroying me."

Harry was really confused now. The portrait seemed to be talking in circles. Okay, he got the part where he couldn't leave, but the rest didn't make any sense at all. It was almost as if the portrait spoke in very confused, madness spawned riddles. "Sir, I'm a bit confused. I still don't understand. What are you talking about?"

The portrait laughed like a maniac. "So, the boy is too ignorant to understand is he? Let me break it down for you. Me- portrait, my body- elsewhere. If my body dies without my portrait being destroyed first, I can bring my body back and live again."

Harry was a bit miffed. He didn't care about the consequences anymore. Just who did this version of Erasmus think he was anyway? "Look, I'm not stupid. I can't help what they teach at school, and maybe if you weren't such a bloody git, then you wouldn't have been left alone all these years. I don't care if you have the ability to kill me or not- never call me stupid again!"

The portrait smirked at Harry. "I lost this part of myself for a reason, boy. I was once a warrior, but my… battlefield demeanor has not been needed for a long while. While I was at war, the part of me that you know was locked away in this house…that reminds me, I suggest that you do not explore. There are things here that may wish to make a meal of you."

Harry sighed. "That still doesn't explain how I'm going to eat."

The portrait shook his head. "So poorly prepared. Tisk, tisk, tisk. No worries, there are plenty of rats."

"Rats?" Harry asked in a trembling voice.

"Didn't they even teach you how to survive at that school of yours?" The portrait demanded. "Yes, rats. They are full of blood, which the last time I checked, was food for a vampire, and you are a vampire are you not?"

Harry looked at his feet sheepishly. "Yes, sir."

"Well then, I suggest that you concentrate on surviving and stop being so finicky."

Harry nodded, a bit embarrassed, and began to comb the room for rats.

* * *

Erasmus jerked with a feeling of cold water pulsing through his veins. "Now, how did the boy manage to get there?" Erasmus thought to himself. "Severus, did I ever tell you about the wars?" Erasmus asked, staring at the younger vampire sitting in front of the fireplace.

Severus sighed into his hands. "I fail to see what this has to do with Potter being an immortal."

Erasmus looked at Severus exasperatedly. "In time, Severus, in time. In war, I was not a nice person. In fact, I was nasty, Severus. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, you were evil incarnate. What does that have to do with the boy?"

Erasmus wished that Severus would stop being so sarcastic. "It has much to do with the boy, Severus. When I was done with the wars, I separated the part of myself that reveled in the kill, thrived in the despair, and loved the hunt." Erasmus walked towards Severus. "I imprisoned that part of myself in a portrait, and left it in my ancestral home."

Severus glared at Erasmus. "And your point is?"

Erasmus placed his hands on Severus' shoulders and leaned forward. "My point is that Potter is in my house, in the very room with the part of myself I have tried to forget!"

Understanding crossed Severus' features. Harry was in the room with the foulest part of his master, and nothing good could manage to come from it.

Erasmus grabbed Severus by the hands and shook his body so hard that Severus' teeth clacked together. "If we do not want the boy to become tainted by the evil that dwells in that house, we need to go…now!"

Severus nodded. Potter was going to be the true death of him.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the characters contained within belong to JKR. I merely tread upon its bountiful well of muse.

A/N: Thanks to my reviewers! I love getting reviews. I hope that you all like this chapter.

* * *

Harry sat contentedly, letting the blood from the three rats he had just killed renew him. This place, it was different. He felt strange, energized. It was almost as if tasting the rats had made him a part of this place, if you could even truly call it a place. It was more like a different plane of existence. Somehow, he felt at home here.

Harry looked lazily over to the portrait. The Erasmus in the frame seemed to be smiling in a knowing way, and this was quite unsettling. It was almost as if the Erasmus in the portrait knew that he had done something – something diabolical, and it pleased him greatly. This should have worried Harry, but instead, Harry simply didn't care. He felt drugged, but couldn't explain how that would even be possible.

The Erasmus in the painting grinned like the proverbial Cheshire Cat. "You see, my dear boy. Rats aren't so bad." The portrait stated in a direct manner, though quietly.

Harry looked over to the portrait, moving about as slowly as a tired sloth. "I feel strange."

The portrait laughed manically. "There is nothing to worry about. All will be revealed in due time."

Harry knew he had gotten himself into one hell of a trap. It just wasn't right. Why did it have to be that every year he lived, someone tried to kill him or make him jump through numerous hoops? Only this time, there was no Triwizard Cup portkey, no cavalry coming to the rescue. He had acted foolishly, and now, he had to pay the price.

Maybe there was a reason that Professor Snape had always been irritated by him. After all, he did tend to go a bit gung-ho towards matters that would make it much easier if he had taken the time to think everything through. Sirius would be alive today if he had only taken the time to think, and for that, Harry could never forgive himself. True, Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange played a huge part in Sirius' death, but if he had thought things through and had taken the time to talk to someone about what he saw, anyone, perhaps Sirius would be alive today.

Harry scratched his head for a moment. But Dumbledore knew what was going on. He always did. Why was it that Dumbledore only seemed to "know" things when it became convenient? If Dumbledore had listened to him and explained everything to Harry, Sirius would probably be alive because Harry would have known everything Voldemort was capable of. But no, Dumbledore had used Sirius like a pawn, as well as himself. Apparently, they were expendable.

He would remember this, oh yes. If it was the last thing he ever did, he would see that Dumbledore would be exposed for the man he truly was. Not the man who showered wizarding kind with kindness, but rather, the man who duped them all. Maybe Voldemort wasn't the only evil wizard in their midst.

Harry turned towards the portrait. "What would you do to someone who betrayed you?" Harry asked in a serious voice.

The portrait turned towards Harry and smiled. Already, the essence was taking hold. Everything was going precisely according to plan. "Oh, my dear boy, I am sure that I could think of many things that would cause me great amusement."

Harry nodded. "Like what?"

The Erasmus in the painting scratched at his chin with long dirty fingernails. "Let's see….Beheading, Evisceration, mutilation, exsanguinations, drowning, crushing, squeezing, smothering, cutting, sawing, pulling, ripping….ahhh, the possibilities are endless!"

Harry couldn't help but look at the portrait with a wide-eyed expression. "Sir, that wasn't quite what I meant."

The portrait looked at Harry with an exasperated expression. "Then, dear fellow, you must learn to make yourself clear. Ask the proper questions. Think before you speak….Now, try again."

Harry took a deep breath. "Ok…um…What if someone had made you think that they could help you, really help you. And instead, when you needed then most, they chose to ignore you; leaving you to draw your own conclusions. Not offering information that you greatly needed about your enemy. And thus, you most trusted friend was killed as a result. What would you do?"

The portrait smiled. "That's much better. Personally, I would take the offending party out to the courtyard. Hitch his body between four horses, and cause the horses to run in opposite directions until he were ripped apart limb from limb."

Harry nodded. "But sir, what if the person who offended you happened to be a wizard?"

The portrait laughed. "Well then, I had better hope to disarm the wizard from his wand and hope that he does not have the gift of wandless magic."

Harry looked at the portrait in shock. "Wandless magic?"

The portrait grinned. "Of course. Didn't anyone even bother to tell you that it existed? Of course, mainly vampires are able to perform it, but once in awhile, a wizard can have the ability from birth or develop it over time. From what I have heard personally, and bear in mind that this was quite a long time ago, it is difficult for a wizard to develop wandless magic if they did not bother to keep it up throughout their childhood."

Harry couldn't believe this. The portrait was stark raving mad. "Sir, I think someone might have lied to you. There is no wandless magic."

The portrait stared at Harry, the boy would, in time, pay for his insolence. "Oh really…Well, Mr. Harry Potter, did you or did you not perform incidental magic before going to Hogwarts?"

Harry looked like he was about to choke up his lunch. "Yes, sir?"

"Well then, that was before you received your wand, correct?"

Harry nodded.

"Well then, if you did not have a wand, didn't you perform wandless magic?"

Harry hated to feel embarrassment, but the portrait seemed to be able to make him feel guilty at the drop of a hat. "I suppose so, sir."

The portrait stared into Harry's eyes. "Well then, if a child never received a wand, and was taught to use that "incidental magic" and control it, wouldn't that make the child have a better grasp on magic?"

"Sir, I really don't know."

The portrait was beginning to become irritated. "Well then, if you don't know. I am hardly going to waste my time explaining it to you any further."

Harry hung his head and burrowed into the corner of the room. He hated this place. He hated Hogwarts. And for now, he had nowhere else to go.

* * *

Severus followed Erasmus until they hit the forbidden forest. "Sir, how can you feel so sure that Potter is with your portrait? He may even be hiding in muggle London. We must try the blood link first."

Erasmus glared at Severus. "Sometimes, my boy, you are entirely too level headed. Do you not think that if I didn't know precisely where he was, that I would send us off in the middle of the night to this godforsaken location. Just because I siphoned off a part of myself into that house that does not mean that I don't still feel a link to that part of myself. I know the Potter boy is there because I have seen him…through the eyes of the thing that is kept there."


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own anything regarding Harry Potter. I do have a wonderful collection of origami bats though.

A/N: I apologise to all of my readers for taking so long getting this chapter out. My life has been, in a word, crazy. Next week is finals week, and then after that, I will be free. SO after next weeks, so long as the muse keeps me on my toes, you should be seeing faster updates.

* * *

Severus could not help but roll his eyes at the elder vampire. Sometimes, the man was simply too ridiculous. If the entity that Erasmus had been keeping for all of these years was this dangerous, then why did the idiotic elder vampire insist on keeping it?

Erasmus turned to Severus and glared at the younger vampire with a look that seemed to scream that he had just heard Severus' every thought. "So, that is what you think of me?" Erasmus snarled.

Severus stood for a moment, glaring at his elder. Why he ever bothered to get out of the proverbial coffin some days was beyond him. "Sometimes it seems as if you go out of your way to be infuriating." Severus stated with a smirk.

Erasmus looked over Severus carefully. Yes…the events were going as planned. His Severus has decided concern for both the Potter child and for his own son. Yes…things were going beautifully. "Sometimes Severus, I need to remind myself why I bothered with you in the first place." Erasmus said with a hint of amusement.

Severus sighed. "Are we simply going to spend the rest of the evening having mock arguments in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, or are we going to save the Potter boy? Either way, it makes no difference to me."

Erasmus laughed, and with a twinkle in his eye, he snapped his fingers, and suddenly, both vampires disappeared.

* * *

Harry simply stared at the wall, letting the portrait tell him things…many things. It seemed as if he had entered another dimension entirely, although nothing had changed outwardly. It was almost as if Harry had become a part of the place, instead of a mere visitor.

To a certain extent, Harry felt that he truly understood now. The world was not for him to save, but rather, he had to choose to decide if he merely wanted to help. Nothing more. If he so chose, he could create a rain of death that wizarding Britain had never seen. In a way, it was almost tempting to do just that.

"Child, you must be hungry. You have been here for hours." The portrait said with a twinkle in its eye.

Harry looked up and into the bright eyes of the alternate Erasmus and smiled. In the blink of an eye, Harry had snatched another rat from the room and had sucked it dry. It no longer mattered to Harry that he had just eaten a rat. Nothing much mattered anymore but death and his will to live.

He crouched down into the corner to listen once again to the truths the portrait had to tell.

* * *

Draco paced through his father's rooms. They were gone….all of them. He could hardly curtail the anger and rage. He thought that everything would be different now that he spent that time with his father. But, once again, he ended up disappointed. He truly wondered why he even bothered. All everyone in the Wizarding world ever seemed to care about was the precious Boy-Who-Lived. If it wasn't for the fact that the man had made his life hell, he would give Potter up to Voldemort himself.

Draco grabbed the books from his father's bookcase and threw them to the floor. He snatched the bottle of fire whiskey from the table and threw himself down on the sofa. If that was the way his father wanted it…fine.

Draco tipped the bottle and drank deeply. He just didn't care anymore.

* * *

Erasmus threw open the doors to his secret hideaway. He didn't bother to wait for Severus, his rage was far too great. He stormed into the room which housed the portrait only to find Harry huddled against the wall like a crab. The house had already affected the boy.

Erasmus turned to the portrait and yelled. "What do you think you are _doing_?"

The portrait turned to look at its master. "I am merely doing what you are afraid of. The boy was weak; haunted by his self-loathing nature. I have cured him."

Severus raised an eyebrow. It was not everyday that one had the chance to witness someone literally argue with themselves.

"No, you have tainted him. If you weren't a part of myself, I would destroy you utterly." Erasmus snarled.

The portrait smiled. "Ahhh, so you do still fear me."

Erasmus snorted in laughter. "Fear you? I know you. Behind the rough exterior and capacity for murder, you are nothing. Leave the boy alone. If you cease to do so, you may just find yourself amidst the fires of hell."

Erasmus waved a hand and stunned Harry who had been watching the exchange with widened eyes. "Severus, collect your charge. We must get him home."

Suddenly, the portrait began to laugh. "But, dear friends, the boy is home."

Severus glared at the portrait. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Severus asked, annoyed.

The portrait smirked. "The boy belongs to me now. He's not going anywhere."

Erasmus seemed to have had enough. "Get on with it. Explain your demands."

The portrait laughed. "There are no demands. Only facts. The boy ate something that belonged to the house, so he has become the house. He is home."

Erasmus turned to Severus and poked Harry in the side, waking him from the daze the elder vampire had placed him under. "What did you eat? Tell me now!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "What there was here to eat. Rats."

Erasmus rubbed his temples with his fingertips. "What a mess." He turned to the portrait and slashed his claws across its face. Both vampires howled in pain, bearing the same marks. Erasmus composed himself and held out his hand, the portrait began to stretch and undulate. Erasmus' counterpart howled in protest, but in a moment, all that remained was the frame of the portrait. The likeness of Erasmus was no more.

Severus looked at Erasmus puzzled. "What is going on?"

"I have taken him back. He was left out entirely too long. Come. Let's take the boy home."

Severus rolled his eyes. "What then was all of that fuss dealing with Potter eating a few rats?"

Erasmus patted Severus on the shoulder. "If I had left the portrait here, Harry would have had to remain close to it. The part of myself that I am not proud of had latched itself onto the poor boy through the blood of those rats. If that part of myself had remained here, Harry would have never been able to truly stay away from it for long. And that, I fear, would have had dire consequences. Now that I have reclaimed the dark part of my soul, I severed that connection. Harry Potter is no longer bound to this place."

The two vampires wrapped Harry into their cloaks and flew off into the night. The long journey was just beginning, and the following dawn would bring more surprises than they could fathom. The end of days was getting closer, and it was up to a small boy to save them all.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JKR does.

A/N: Here it is, a new chapter. I hope that everyone likes it. Sorry it took me awhile to get it out. Enjoy!

* * *

Draco laughed. He was, as the muggles called it, drunk off his ass. He tried to readjust his position. It didn't work. He floundered for a moment and fell with a decided crash to the floor. His head hit the corner of a table placed near the chair with a loud thunk.

He stumbled to his feet and rubbed the back of his head. "That is going to leave a mark!" Draco howled, and then collapsed onto the floor in a fit of giggles.

Suddenly, Draco heard heavy footsteps. They were coming. Draco looked about the room and sobered a bit. He had completely trashed the place. Tables were overturned with bottles of potion broken on the floor. Books were torn from various bookshelves and then ripped apart. Empty bottles of fire whiskey lay strewn around the chair in which he had been sitting.

For a moment, he was afraid, but then, he remembered. He remembered that they didn't care enough about him to even remotely let him know that they were leaving. They could clean the mess up themselves.

Draco turned on his heel and stumbled into his room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Just as Draco slammed the door, Severus opened the door to his quarters. It took a mere instant to see the mess that had been made of the room.

"Draco!" Severus roared. A forceful wind seemed to come from Severus' body and swept about the room. It quickly righted everything that had been destroyed. Books were remade and placed back on the shelves. Bottles disappeared. Then, the wind forced open the door to Draco's room with a boom. The door broke from its hinges.

Severus crooked a finger and before Draco could latch onto anything, he was flung out into the sitting area of the chambers.

"How dare you do this to me!" Severus roared. Erasmus stood back, watching.

Draco scrambled to his feet. "GO ahead, _father_. Kill me. It's what you've always wanted anyways wasn't it? For me to be gone and out of your hair?"

Severus paused. His temper flared. "You have no idea what it is that I want. Since when were you skilled in the reading of minds, Draco?"

Draco spat. "Since I was lucky enough to be dragged into this hell. Did you forget? I was made a Master Vampire."

Severus chuckled. "Ahh, yes. A very immature Master Vampire."

Draco charged, claws bared. Severus whipped his hand as if he was swatting a fly. "You forget Draco, just because you have power it does not mean that you can outwit me. I am much older than you. I know more tricks than you. I also have never destroyed your things. Nor have I ever given you any amount of disrespect."

Draco glared, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "Never destroyed anything, huh? What about my life, _father_? I think you've done a great job destroying that."

Severus paled. Erasmus stepped between the two.

"Now that is entirely enough! I haven't heard this much bellyaching since the War of the Roses. Off to bed with the both of you! I've had just about all that I can stand."

Neither Severus nor Draco was given a choice. They found themselves merely tossed into their respective rooms with a flick of the wrist by the elder vampire.

"Children." The elder vampire muttered.

* * *

Harry woke the next morning feeling groggy and strange. The world seemed tilted; almost as if drawn down from the moon. The sky was overcast, but not dreary. Rather than being depressed by the sky, Harry was relaxed by it.

Slowly, he raised himself to a sitting position. For a moment, Harry thought he might pass out, but that feeling quickly passed. He looked around once more and recognized his room in Gryffindor tower. He couldn't remember much. He blinked his eyes. Suddenly, as if coming upon him in one smooth motion, the memories of what had happened awakened inside his mind.

He vaguely remembered crouching in the corner, listening to his lessons. He remembered Snape and Erasmus arriving. But after that, everything became a blur. There was barely anything else that could be remembered.

He remembered the smell of the dank place. The mold, mildew, and rot seemingly flowing into one another until the separate smells were no longer distinguishable. And then there was the evil feeling that had seemed to take hold of him; the hunger. It was like a bad dream that had somehow re-awakened inside of his brain.

But the pull on his magical core he had felt while under the tutelage of the portrait was gone. Harry almost missed it. For once in his life, someone had cared enough to try to train him, and now he could sense that the portrait was gone. What had happened, he did not know.

Harry got up from his bed and looked out the window, allowing the pale rays of sunlight to bounce offhis glasses. The warmth did not burn, so he assumed that someone must have made sure he had all of his required potions….and he could make a guess as to who but it wasn't as if it mattered. The caring was a show, a ruse. Harry would never again make that mistake. His parents were dead. Period. And no one would care about him as much as he would himself. It was pointless to bother with anything different.

He was about to step out and visit the loo when Master Erasmus appeared before him.

"Young man, I believe that we have much to discuss. Follow me."

Harry knew when to follow, and when to disobey. He chose to follow. Ironically, the elder vampire stopped in front of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"I understand that you have the capacity to open the Chamber of Secrets?" The elder vampire asked.

Harry swallowed hard. "Err, yes sir. But the Chamber entrance is… well… impassable."

"Tut tut. I believe that I can do something about that. Besides, in order to understand that pipsqueak wizard that you are to dispatch, we need to visit a place that he knew well. Besides, have you ever tasted the roasted skin of a basilisk?"

Harry followed the elder vampire into the bathroom. "Umm… no sir, but I killed the basilisk quite a long while ago… the skin….if any is left is definitely not good to eat."

Erasmus laughed. "But Harry, what about the baby basilisks?"

Harry opened his eyes in horror. "B-b-b-baby basilisks?"

Erasmus rolled his eyes. "Of course you silly creature. There are at least 30 of the little things down there. They are quite a delicacy."

"Umm, sir? I can't eat food very well. I… well… mostly have been living on blood alone."

Erasmus sighed. "Ah, yes. I forgot. You do have that…_special_ quality don't you. No matter. You can have a new pet. Basilisks make wonderful pets."

Harry looked at the elder vampire with trepidation. "Sir, why would anyone want a pet that kills people with a mere look from its eyes?"

"Because, silly boy, what better protection can one have? A vampire is not effected by the stare of a basilisk."

Because Erasmus was NOT going to listen. Harry did as he was told, and opened the Chamber of Secrets. He could not help but wonder where Myrtle had gotten to. She never even poked out her head when they entered the bathroom.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own any Characters or Plot Lines featured in Harry Potter books or films. I do, however, stake claim on Erasmus and his wit.

A/N: I know, I know. I haven't updated in forever. Sometimes it is hard writing four stories at once. l. At any rate, here is a chapter, finally. Enjoy!

* * *

Once Harry had opened the chamber, Erasmus grabbed his hand and with a snap of his fingers, they were down inside the chamber.

"How do you do that?" Harry asked, wondering.

"It really isn't anything special. We, of the vampiric persuasion, like to call it 'blinking'." Erasmus replied.

Harry nodded. The old vampire really was weird. "Sir...why are you interested in basilisks?"

Erasmus began to laugh. "I was, as they call it, pulling your leg. I have never eaten a basilisk, and never plan to do so."

Harry glared at the elder vampire. "What did you do that for?"

Erasmus pulled Harry close. "To get down here, of course. This is one of the few unplottable places inside Hogwart's. It is a good place to discuss that which does not need to be known by compromised ears."

Harry coughed, not sure of what was about to happen.

"You see, I must make sure that I have gotten all of him out of your head."

Harry looked at Erasmus, puzzled. "Him who?"

"The 'I' of which you have met and interacted."

Harry thought that Erasmus' reply was probably one of the oddest patterns of speech he had ever heard. "You mean the portrait."

Erasmus smiled. "Precisely, dear child."

"I don't feel any different. Things are fine." Harry answered; trying to get the elder vampire to stop worrying about him. They didn't truly care for him, so why did he need the third degree?

Erasmus looked into Harry's eyes with a knowing smile. "It seems we have made a mess of things…I never intended for this to go so badly. You see, I only want happiness for my kin. You were in need of a father, Draco was in need of his father. I felt that with Severus' depressing attitude, if he had several charges to care for, perhaps his life would turn out better, and as a result, the two of you would benefit as well…Unfortunately, it seems that all I have managed to do is alienate the lot of you."

Harry paused. The old vampire's eyes showed years of pain. Harry touched the man's mind with his senses, he was telling the truth. "He hates me."

Erasmus looked at Harry in shock. "Who hates you?"

"Severus, of course. He hated me from the first day I walked into the school. Simply because I was James Potter's son…And just when I thought I might have actually won him approval, I was tossed aside. It's no wonder that Draco hates him. We both have been thrown aside like hand me downs. What's the use of being alive if this is all it has to offer."

Erasmus scratched his head thoughtfully. "Harry, I am not going to speak to you about giving Severus any more chances. Whether the two of you manage to have any sort of companionship is not up to me. It is up to the both of you. Call it wishful thinking, but I believe that if you and Draco cease vying for Severus' undivided attention, perhaps, all of you can get what you long for…But then, what do I know, I am nothing but a centuries old vampire who knows nothing."

Harry couldn't help himself and laughed. "Sometimes, I think that you are more manipulative than Dumbledore."

Erasmus smiled. "Come now, we must talk strategy."

* * *

Draco woke with a pounding headache. Damn his father for not caring, damn Erasmus for throwing him into his bedroom, damn the sun for making his head hurt more. He slowly sat up on the side of his bed, praying for the nausea to pass. Suddenly, the bile rose in this throat and Draco dashed to the loo.

It felt as if his insides were trying to turn themselves inside out. He wretched in heaves, groaning. Finally, he collapsed against the cool tile of the floor; his eyes closed. Suddenly, a cooling wetness wiped across his head. He began to move.

"Stop, Draco. Don't move. Just lie still." Severus spoke in a soothing voice. "It's better if you get it all out of your system."

Draco rolled to his side, clutching his head.

"I will not give you the talking you surely deserve. I believe that your punishment has come swift." Severus once again wiped the cloth across his son's forehead. "Maybe you won't be so quick to drink next time."

At the mere mention of alcohol, Draco found himself retching once again. He had never been this sick. "Isn't there a potion to keep this from happening?"

Severus chuckled. "Actually, there is, but of course, Erasmus saw to it that the both of us were to remain in our quarters for the rest of the evening. Perhaps this was his punishment."

Draco moaned. "Does he ever stop?"

Severus chuckled. "Stop what?"

"Interfering."

"No. He never does. This entire situation should be your proof to that. Sometimes, I honestly wonder what he can be thinking."

Draco laughed, then moaned in pain. "I think that if he continues, he is going to be the death of both of us."

Severus smiled. "I truly hope not."

* * *

The night had come alive. Small heartbeats tapped out their rhythm. It was exciting, invigorating. It was something that no night creature could ever forget; the freedom of power.

Voldemort felt the power coarse through his veins. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He felt more alive in death than he had ever had. He was a god.

He could see everything. The veins in the leaves were just as visible as the bark of a tree. He could hear the heart of an ant beating furiously as it crossed the forest floor. He could taste the moisture in the air. This was the man he was meant to be.

He looked around the confines of the Forbidden Forest. It had been so easy to get inside the grounds. His new powers ensured that. Oh yes, Harry Potter would die. He could feel the victory; taste it.

He looked across the grounds from his hiding place. "How peaceful she sleeps?" He thought about Hogwart's. And soon, very soon, he would waken her. The blood of Harry Potter would be his, for all eternity. And those who chose to stand against him, would become his rotting pets of undead flesh. His minions to spread his seed throughout the world.

The world was his for the taking, muggle and wizarding world alike. He felt so powerful that he truly believed that no one or no thing could stop him. The only piece he could not decide on was whether to kill Harry Potter first or last. Somehow, first seemed much too simple. Let the boy suffer; see his friends die. Harry Potter would be the last to die, and he would be there to taste lap the blood from his fallen enemy's flesh.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JKR and the other people who make money.

A/N: Yes, I know that it has been a long time since I updated. I just had no means to further the story until now. I hope that you all enjoy!

* * *

Time would soon be right. He could feel it in the air. The smell of victory seemed to fall across his tongue like an incessant lap dog refusing to make way for its master's boot. The fog seemed to coat the roof of his mouth and undulate slowly down his throat. Yes, he could taste the victory. At first, he had thought that all was lost. The Potter brat had become one of the undead. But then, with his higher intellect, he figured out the solution rather simplistically. He would become a vampire, which would not only allow him to attack Potter and get his revenge, but finally satisfy his thirst for immortality as well.

He was just about to touch his wand to his arm and call his faithful servant when he realized that his faithful servant had disappeared…as a result of a snack. No bother, he would just have to get himself a new one.

Perhaps, if he had enough time to break the Potter brat, he could make the boy his new servant. It would be perfect really, having a servant who could not die. That would allow him to do whatever he wished…including torturing the brat until _he_ became tired. He wouldn't have to worry about his subject dying before learning his lesson. Besides, it would give him ample time to perfect his Cruciatus.

Voldemort turned and walked into the deep darkness of the Forbidden forest. Time was on his side. He needed to come up with a plan. The perfect plan, designed to make Potter's life reminiscent of the pain and suffering inflicted on those who suffered the wrath of the Inquisition. Truly, muggles were something to be amazed. For all of their faults and lack of intelligence, they were truly masters of finding new and innovative ways to kill one another. He had made a study of it before the Potter brat had sent him to an early corporeal existence.

While he was not a fan of anything to do with muggles, it never hurt to study. Sometimes, even the most brainless of creatures had the capacity for great cruelty, and it would be common of him to ignore any possible source of knowledge.

He finally reached the spot he was waiting for; far enough away from the castle and the surrounding town. He had no need to be fearful of anyone seeing neither his arrival, nor the sound of his apparation from the area. He smiled smugly as he disappeared with a pop.

* * *

Harry was honestly trying to stay awake, but it was really hard. Somehow, Erasmus' talk of strategy had dissolved into a rambling about the Cossar wars. Harry was reminded of Binns lectures until Erasmus posed himself mere centimeters from his nose.

"What did I last say?" Erasmus asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Um…" Harry replied. He had really done it now.

"Just as I thought. Here I am, trying to help you with the problem of that pipsqueak of a dark wizard and you are sitting here daydreaming!"

The elder vampire snorted with displeasure and stomped to the other side of the chamber.

"I'm sorry-"

"Sorry will do me no good. It is yourself that you are hurting, foolish boy; ignoring me when the dark wizard was on the grounds moments ago."

"WHAT?" Harry gasped.

"Oh, yes. He was here."

"He…he!" Harry could only stare. Voldemort had been at Hogwart's! And Erasmus had done NOTHING. "You sat here, droning on and on about some war that has nothing to do with anything, and you knew?"

"Why Harry, what's the fun in that? It is much better to let him go through with his little malicious plan. Trust me; it will be more fun that way."

"Have you lost your bloody mind?" Harry asked exasperatedly. "Fun? I don't think so."

"Of course it will be fun." Erasmus said smugly. "He is just a common, run-of-the-mill, evil wizard. Nothing to worry about."

"_Nothing to worry about_? Voldemort killed my parents, killed Cedric by proxy, and also caused my godfather to go into the veil, and you say that he's nothing to worry about?" The whole idea was completely incredulous to Harry.

"Of course he's nothing to worry about. All of those that you have mentioned are not vampires."

Harry really wanted to give the elder vampire a good beating. He deserved it, he really did. But Harry was stuck. "And what does that have to do with anything?" He asked, even though he knew that Erasmus wasn't making any sense at all.

"You will be much more difficult to kill. Of course, he had himself made a vampire, but it is nothing to worry about really."

Harry was utterly aghast. Voldemort had been made a vampire, and Erasmus knew. Then it hit Harry. Just how did Erasmus know all of this? Was he listening to good sources? Was he in league with Voldemort? Harry fortified himself and asked. "Just how do you know?"

Erasmus smiled. "Ah yes, I keep forgetting. You are still so young, so ignorant of our ways." The elder vampire crossed the chamber and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. " I know, dear boy, because I know. It is as simple as that. I am old. Not as old as some, but much older than others. I knew he was on the grounds because I could smell him. "

Erasmus' eyes seemed to twinkle in amusement. "As far as knowing that he had become a vampire, well, that is much more simple. I sensed the flux in the energy flow. The ignorant buffoon has no idea what he is in for. Namely, he has himself crossed by a vampire who was barely more than a human. If the vampire had been anything but, the _idiot _would not have been able to catch one. Your Voldemort thinks that because he's had himself crossed, that he can still beat you. Basically Harry, the imbecile thinks that he has made himself your equal in terms of vampiric ability, thus, he believes that he is still the stronger wizard. In fact, the idiot has not realized that the vampire that brought him over was nothing in terms of power. Because you are a true immortal, fed on a master vampire's blood, you are the one who is the stronger. You, Harry, will be something spectacular to see."

Harry simply shook his head. He had no choice but to listen to the elder vampire, at least for the moment. But the elder vampire could only blame himself and Snape for his lack of knowledge about the ways of vampires. They were too wrapped up in _Draco _to bother teaching him anything. He was still fuming when he found himself deposited on the sofa in Snape's chambers. Erasmus really needed to stop transporting him like an oversized houseplant.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling. The vampiness belongs to me.

A/N: I know that is has been a long while, but here it is, another chapter. If I get alot of reviews, maybe it will help with my inspiration and I'll be able to update more quickly.

* * *

Harry still couldn't figure out what Erasmus meant by 'true immortal'. It didn't make any sense at all. Both of his parents had died, at the hand of Voldemort no less, so how on earth could he be immortal besides the whole vampire thing?

He stretched his legs and rearranged his position on the couch.

As far as he knew, he had never been given anything that would make him immortal. But then, he was the only one who had ever survived the Killing Curse, so maybe that is where the answer was. Unfortunately, books about the Killing Curse or the Dark Arts were not to be found in Hogwart's library. Hermione had checked.

There was only one person who would have access to such things. He would have to swallow his pride. He needed to talk to Severus Snape.

Harry got up off the couch and knocked on the door to Severus' bedchamber. It wasn't long before Harry heard footsteps coming towards him. Severus opened the door.

"Yes, Mister Potter." Severus wished for the fleeting informality that they had once shared, but for the time being, it was best to be formal.

"I need to ask you something." Harry shuffled his feet. "You are the only one I can ask.

Severus cleared his throat. "You may enter."

Harry followed Severus into his private bedchamber, and watched as the man pulled a chair to him. "Sit, Mr. Potter."

Harry sat.

Severus sat in a chair opposite. "Now, what is your question?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Master Erasmus keeps talking about my being a true immortal, and I honestly have no idea what he is talking about…I mean…my parents are dead- killed by the Killing Curse…the same curse that didn't kill me. I don't understand it."

Severus leaned his head in his hand and thought for a moment. That was something that had puzzled him as well. Why didn't Harry die?

"Well, Mr. Potter-"

"Sir, just call me Harry. I can't stand it anymore."

"Very well. As I was saying, Harry, I don't have the answers you seek. I have my suspicions, but they are worthless without further speculation. But the place to start would be your blood."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Harry, that we must examine your blood for clues. Muggles do this sort of thing all the time…DNA, I think they call it. But at any rate, if we can find something in your blood, perhaps something that makes you different from me, then we will know where to start."

* * *

Harry's eyes wandered around the area that made up Severus' private potions lab. It was amazing. Potions littering every surface like jewels scattered on a jewelers table.

Harry turned his eyes back to Severus and watched the man cut himself and carefully let three drops of blood fall into a bubbling potion. The potion turned a bright green.

"Alright, Harry. It's your turn."

Harry got up from the stool and held his arm over the cauldron next to the one that Severus had just bled into.

"Would you like for me to do the honors?" Severus asked.

"Yes, please." Harry replied. He wasn't sure if he could stand to do it, and if he did, there was a chance that he would cut too deep.

Severus cut Harry's wrist, letting three drops fall. Harry pulled his arm back and watched, fascinated, as the wound closed by itself.

Severus gasped. Harry looked at the potion. His potion was showing a green so bright that it was almost blinding.

Harry looked at Severus. "What does that mean?"

Severus wiped his hand across his brow. "It means, Harry, that you are a true vampire."

"What?" Harry asked, incredulously.

"In other words, your parents weren't your parents after all. I never had a need to cross you; you have always been a vampire."

Harry rolled his eyes. "If that's true, then why didn't I have trouble with the sun and require blood before I tried to kill myself?"

"The answer is…elementary, Harry. You didn't die until your heart stopped. That is why the Killing Curse did not work; the Killing Curse has no effect on vampires."

"Then why am I a Potter?"

Severus places his hand on Harry's shoulder. "That, we will have to find out. Your real parents may still be around somewhere."

Harry turned and looked at Severus. "I don't really care. They gave me up for some reason. The Potter's apparently cared for me. But at least I now know where I stand. But there is one thing I am a bit confused about."

"What is that, Harry?"

"Why is Erasmus so fascinated with me?"

"That is easy enough to answer. Erasmus is fascinated because the last 'true' vampire that he had come across was the one who made him. You are unique amongst our kind. You will be the next to rule."

* * *

Draco woke to find himself in his bed. He could hear noises coming from the living area of the chamber. He got up out of bed, sucked on a nearby blood stone for a few minutes, and walked out to find Harry Potter and his father playing chess.

Harry was the first to look up. "Hey, Draco."

Draco was caught off guard. It had been awhile since Potter had been so civil.

"Potter."

Harry started laughing hysterically. Severus leaned back in his chair with an amused expression on his face.

"Has be gone mad?" Draco asked Severus.

Harry leaped from his chair and grabbed Draco by the arm and threw him down onto the couch.

"It won't work anymore, Draco." Harry said happily.

"What won't work?" Draco asked.

"Calling me 'Potter'."

Draco was really concerned now. "What on earth are you blathering about?"

"Draco, ease up. I'm not insane. I'm just amused. You can't call me Potter, because I'm not a Potter…not really."

Draco looked at Harry with a puzzled expression.

"You see, Severus and I did an experiment, trying to find out why the Killing Curse didn't kill me. It turns out that it didn't kill me because I've always been a vampire. We just never knew. It wasn't until my heart stopped that all the vampy goodness took over. So, I'm not a Potter. I don't know what I am."

"This calls for a drink." Draco said, starting to head towards Severus' liquor cabinet.

"Oh no, you don't."

Draco found himself frozen in place by power emanating from Severus' hands. "We are not going through that again."

Draco relented, and Severus released his hold.

For the first time in a long while, they were all at peace. Finally, no conflict, no jealousy. They were just a family."


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling. I can only hope that I have a mere iota of her success in my lifetime.

A/N: Yes, I know it had been awhile. I have been hard at work on my original novel, so fanfiction was placed on the backburner. I hope to have my book complete by December. Wish me luck on finding a literary agent!

* * *

Draco hadn't seen Potter this happy ever before. Ever since the experiment was performed, Potter had been almost chipper. That was enough to make Draco frightened.

Draco had watched for several days as the change overtook his...brother. He had been trying to get used to the idea, after all, Potter needed a place too. It wasn't as if Draco really knew Severus that well, and if he was ever going to get used to being in his own skin, he might as well let Potter tag along.

He glanced at Severus' liquor cabinet. Severus had removed all alcohol to a location Draco did not know. Draco knew that it was probably for the best, but that didn't mean he was happy about it. Somehow, he'd felt better when he'd had the ability to numb himself. But then, that is what all alcoholics said.

He knew he should be more concerned with the Voldemort situation, and Erasmus and Severus had told him as much. It wasn't that he didn't care, and it wasn't that he wished Potter any ill will. He knew that he shouldn't be so selfish, but it was hard. That is how he learned to survive being a Malfoy. But then he'd found out that he was a Snape. Not that Severus was so bad, just different

"Hey, Potter!" Draco yelled.

"What?" Harry asked from Severus' room.

"Get out here, I want to talk to you!" Draco replied.

Sometimes Potter really annoyed him. Draco tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair.

Harry walked in with an exasperated look on his face. "What do you want, Draco?"

Draco motioned for Harry to sit. "It's about time we have a talk."

Harry could hardly keep from rolling his eyes. It wasn't like Draco to be anything but a prat to him. He could only imagine what Draco was going to say, but because he had no choice, Harry sat; ready to listen. "Alright, Draco. What you do want to talk about?"

Draco leaned forward in the chair. "I wanted to apologize."

Harry's mouth dropped open and he thought he might faint. "Are you serious?"

Draco sighed. "Perfectly. I know that I haven't always displayed the best facet of my personality towards you. At times, I was jealous, but mostly, I wished that I got as much attention as you did."

Harry swallowed. "Trust me, Draco. You don't want the type of attention I get. Everywhere I look, someone is always watching."

"Well Potter, I wish things would have been different. But since the past cannot be changed, I wanted to apologize in the hopes that maybe I can mange to change."

Harry wanted to pinch himself. This was completely out of character for Draco. "Are you crazy?"

"What are you talking about?"

Harry looked at Draco's eyes, almost as if expecting something. "Are you on something, Draco?" Harry asked.

Draco's eyes grew wide and he tried to keep from blowing a gasket. "Potter...sometimes you make it really difficult to be nice to you. I suggest that if you want to keep your head, you'll cease this line of questioning and accept my apology for what it's worth."

Harry got up from the chair. He hadn't meant to anger Draco, it was just so shocking. "I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't mean to make you mad. It's just...you're so different."

Draco sighed. "There's a good reason for that, Potter. I'm not a Malfoy anymore."

"Well, I'm not a Potter."

Draco nodded curtly. "Well, I'm glad we've settled that then."

"Yeah, okay, Draco. Why don't you get some rest, you seem a little stressed."

Draco grunted and Harry left the room.

'Why can't I seem to ever get along with him?" he asked himself.

"That's easy, you're too alike." Severus said from behind Draco's chair.

Draco jumped about four feet into the air. "How do you do that?"

"If you're lucky, maybe I'll show you someday. Why don't you get out of this castle for awhile? You've been inside for far too long."

Knowing he'd been dismissed, Draco did as he was told. It was his luck to have a father with a dark sense of humor. Maybe one day he could get bored and irritate Harry for a change.

* * *

Voldemort smiled his sardonic smile. He knew that in order to get his revenge on the Potter brat, he needed something to draw him out. But what? In the past, he would have chosen to torture Potter's friends, but the boy no longer seemed close to anyone.

The boy literally had little left, only his small cluster of vampires to keep him company. Voldemort also knew that of the pack, he wouldn't dare touch the elder. The elder was far too old and powerful to be messed with. Nor would he touch Severus Snape. The man's potions capabilities were far too valuable to risk his destruction. No, to get to his quarry, he would try to ensnare the Malfoy brat. Harry Potter may not like him, but would still feel compelled to try to save him.

It was so perfect. Now, he just had to re-enter the grounds of Hogwarts and find a way to get Draco Malfoy under his spell. It would probably be pointless to try to convince the boy to follow him, so the only option left was capture. He could not use magic, he knew that. Draco Malfoy was also one of his kind, and magic had little effect. He would have to go to muggle extremes to get the job done, but at this point, he really didn't care. It was more important to defeat Harry Potter than to worry about the means to do so.

"Yes." Voldemort mumbled. "The plan cannot fail. Harry Potter will soon fall and I will once again rule over Wizarding Britain."

* * *

Draco walked out into the night. The air was crisp and cold, but somehow, it was all the more comforting. The darkness lay across the grounds like a velveteen blanket; the stars stretched throughout the sky for miles around. It was the perfect night for a walk.

He sniffed at the air, smiling at the familiar scent of earth and decaying leaves. If he listened hard enough, he could hear the sound of the unicorns crunching the floor of the Forbidden Forest.

So lost was Draco in the beauty of the night, he did not sense the figure creeping up behind him.

At once, Voldemort struck Draco over the head with a large tree branch, knocking him unconscious. He quickly grabbed the young vampire in his arms and carried him to his lair through the forest.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR, Erasmus belongs to me. Yippee!

A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed during the course of this fic. I have really enjoyed writing it, and as it was my first begun, and first completed, it will always have a special place in my heart. I hope that everyone enjoys the last chapter. There will not be a sequel. I prefer the story to remain as is- Erasmus would want it that way.

* * *

Draco moaned as the pain pierced his head. He opened his eyes, but everything was a fuzzy fog. Now was not the time for his senses to fail him. He closed his eyes, concentrated on his power and drew it up inside himself. Slowly, he allowed his power to flow to all of his extremities, his ears, and his eyes. He felt his power swirl around the painful spot in his head-- and with a flash of heat, the pain was gone.

He became fully alert, using his breath as an echolocation tool, he could feel that he was in a place he had never seen, and his attacker was close by. Carefully, he opened his eyes and glanced around at the darkness-- his vision was better now. He could see through the dark.

The place in which he'd been brought was a virtual pigsty. Garbage littered the floor along with the carcasses of countless animals. The place smelled like a muggle slaughterhouse. He let his power dance over the room, and throughout the structure. His attacker was in the next room-- grumbling to himself.

Soundlessly, he crept over the carcasses, allowing his power to dance around the floor. It was the only way he could be sure that the room was not, somehow, booby trapped.

From the doorway, he could now see who his captor was. The "Dank" Lord was crouched over a scattering of rat bones mumbling to himself. Draco could not believe how ridiculous the whole fiasco was. From the doorway, he entered Voldemort's mind. It didn't take long to find out that the idiot had clubbed him over the head with a tree branch. What a waste of a vampire.

Draco couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when Voldemort still didn't realize that he was awake, or that he was standing there watching him.

"I think I hit the blonde one a bit too hard. What if he is irrevocably damaged? A damaged hostage is as good as no hostage! Fools! They all die too easily. Hmmm... If only the blonds one's father were still living. No, now I could only bring him back as a rotten thing- not exactly useful..." Voldemort actually had a long string of drool descending from his lower lip. Draco was sickened.

He was far beyond annoyed at this point. Voldemort seemed to not have realized that whatever power he had, meant nothing in the world of vampires. It was time to make his presence known.

He coughed.

Voldemort jumped at the noise and turned his head.

Draco didn't give the geezer time to react. He flew across the room, slashed at Voldemort's head with his claws, and severed it clean. He dumped his power towards the corpse and caught Voldemort's soul trying to escape. He allowed his power to dismantle the soul, and carefully absorbed it into himself.

"So much for the great Potter vs Voldemort main event." Draco snarked. "Being bad feels pretty good."

* * *

Snape was beginning to worry. Draco had not come back inside the castle for well over 3 hours, and the boy was not known to wander around in the cold for long. Something just didn't feel right, and if the boy didn't come back within the hour, he was going to go looking for him.

"Looking for whom?" Erasmus asked.

Snape jumped. "I really hate it when you do that."

"Tut, tut. Whether you hate that I do it or not, it is most amusing."

Severus rolled his eyes at Erasmus. "Of course _you_ would think so. At any rate, I'm beginning to worry about Draco. He hasn't come back from his walk."

Erasmus smiled. "I believe you will find that Draco is just fine. You don't give your son enough credit."

"Hmm." Severus mumbled noncommittally.

Harry wandered into Severus' common room and watched four eyes come to rest on his chest. "Is something wrong?" He asked, not sure of what to make of it all.

Erasmus grinned with an evil glint in his eye. "Nothing at all, young man. Come. Sit. Your brother is just coming into the castle."

Severus glared at Erasmus. "How do you do that?"

Erasmus rolled his eyes. "It is extremely easy. It wouldn't do at all for me to tell you. In fact, it would be most boring."

Harry laughed.

"Now don't _you_ start!" Severus snapped.

Just then, the door to the chambers swung open and Draco walked in, a bit blood spattered, but fine.

"Why is it that while the rest of you are in here, being lazy, I ended up doing _all_ of the dirty work?" He asked.

"Because it was convenient." Erasmus said with a smile.

Harry was unnerved to say the least. "Draco, what are you talking about?"

Draco smiled. "Here." He tossed Voldemort's severed head into Harry's lap. "A souvenir."

"Ahhhh!" Harry screamed and threw the head onto the floor.

Draco collapsed onto the floor in hysterics. "Potter, you kill me."

Harry scrambled and jumped on top of Draco sprawled on the floor and began pummeling him good naturedly with his fists. "How. Many. Times. Do. I. Have. To. Tell. You. My. Name. Isn't. Potter."

Draco simply cackled more.

"Children." Erasmus said with a small amount of authority.

Severus, Draco, and Harry looked up at the elder vampire.

"It is so wonderful to see you all act like a pack of hyenas in the middle of mating season, but I must be on my way."

"What!" Severus yelled.

Erasmus laughed. "I was only kidding, Severus. You never could take a joke very easily. But seriously, I must be moving on."

Harry crawled off Draco and walked over to Erasmus. "Why?"

Erasmus smiled. "Because child, I have many other tasks to get into. The three of you are finally alright and ready to be left on your own."

Severus grinned. His father was finally going home. He could have some peace and quiet once and for all.

"But why would you want peace and quiet?" Draco asked.

Severus turned to Draco. "Not you too!"

Erasmus laughed hard and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" Harry asked.

Severus placed his index finger on his nose. "Unfortunately."


End file.
